Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the dangers of the deadly coronavirus that has brought the world to its knees and devasted an already staggering global economy.
In March, he said: “From what I have seen until now, there are other kinds of flu which have killed more people than that [coronavirus] one” and “After being stabbed, I’m not going to be brought down by a little flu,” reports the BBC.
Bolsonaro has also accused the media, his favourite punching bag, for spreading panic and paranoia and railed against measures like closing beaches and requiring face coverings, calling them “dictatorial”.
Now, on Monday, Bolsonaro has himself tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to the BBC, Brazil has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world after the US. The same goes for the number of COVID-19 related deaths.
