Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil's First Lady, Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Brazil's first lady and a fifth member of President Jair Bolsonaro's Cabinet have tested positive for the new coronavirus, officials said Thursday.

"I just did a blood test". I was feeling kind of weak yesterday. "They found a bit of an infection", he said. In my particular case, I first thank God, and secondly, the medication prescribed by the presidential doctor: "hydroxychloroquine", Bolsonaro said.

"After 20 days inside the house we get other problems, right?" On July 25, he announced via Twitter that he had tested negative.

In addition to his own health woes, Bolsonaro's wife also tested positive for the virus Thursday - just 24 hours after speaking at a public event with her husband in Brasilia.

Mr. Bolsonaro said he would go ahead with his visit to southern Rio Grande do Sul state on Friday.

Brazil is now the second country most affected by the coronavirus, after the United States, with 2.5 million confirmed cases and more than 90,000 deaths.

The latest figures show that Brazil saw 57,837 new coronavirus cases recorded on July 30, along with 1,129 deaths.

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Victoria recorded 627 new cases on Friday, with eight dying from disease - four in aged care - taking the national tally to 197. The second most populous state has also posted its highest daily cases and deaths since March, with 723 cases from Wednesday.

On Jul. 10, reports said that local officials across Brazil are loosening isolation orders even as confirmed cases surge due to pressure from Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro has previously compared COVID-19 to a "little flu" and complained about lockdown measures and their effect on the economy.

Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug that was dropped by health organizations after studies found it was ineffective in treating the virus alongside unsafe side effects.

The statement said she appeared to be in good health, but would follow established protocols.

"In the Northeast, people's incomes are lower than the national average, so its residents are more susceptible to that (the benefit)" Lavareda said by phone.

Even after contracting the virus himself earlier this month, forcing him to work from quarantine at the presidential palace for more than two weeks, Bolsonaro has continued to downplay the severity of the pandemic.