Brazil’s Bolsonaro ‘doing very well’ after coronavirus diagnosis

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday that he was doing “very well” after beginning a hydroxychloroquine regimen following his announcement of a positive test for the coronavirus a day earlier.

In a tweet, Bolsonaro knocked those who have expressed skepticism about the drug, an anti-malaria medicine touted by President Trump and others as a cure or preventative measure against COVID-19.

“To those who cheer against Hydroxychloroquine, but do not have alternatives, I regret to inform you that I am very well with its use and, with the grace of God, I will live for a long time to come,” he said, according to a translation.

D- Aos que torcem contra a Hidroxicloroquina, mas não apresentam alternativas, lamento informar que estou muito bem com seu uso e, com a graça de Deus, viverei ainda por muito tempo. pic.twitter.com/koydDXoHUT

— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) July 8, 2020

The Brazilian president announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for the virus, and later that evening announced that he had begun taking hydroxychloroquine in response. The drug has not been scientifically proven to treat or prevent coronavirus, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), though some studies have shown that use of the drug could be linked to a lower mortality rate among patients.

Brazil ranks behind only the U.S. in terms of total coronavirus cases as the two countries have seen their rates of infection surge in recent weeks. Bolsonaro in particular has derided the virus as a “little flu” and taken heat for his handling of the pandemic, which has included the firing of two of the country’s top health ministers.