Bolivia’s interim president Jeanine Añez has tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the third Latin American leader to contract the virus.
Announcing her COVID-19 status on Twitter, Añez said she will remain in isolation for 14 days when another test will be done, but will continue to work remotely from the presidential residence.
In a video posted to her official Twitter account, she said;
Together with my whole team we have been working for Bolivian families all this time. And since the last week many of them tested positive for coronavirus, I had a test and also tested positive. I will be in quarantine for about 14 days until I have a new test to see how I am doing. I feel well, I feel strong. I will continue to work virtually from my isolation and I want to thank all the Bolivians who work to help in this health crisis that we have. Together we will get ahead. May God bless you.
He dado positivo a Covid19, estoy bien, trabajaré desde mi aislamiento. Juntos, vamos a salir adelante. pic.twitter.com/oA4YVYlZFa
— Jeanine Añez Chavez (@JeanineAnez) July 9, 2020
At least four Cabinet ministers in her administration have also tested positive for the virus.
Her announcement comes three days after Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández also announced they have been infected with COVID-19.
Read Also: Brazil’s President Bolsonaro Tests Positive For COVID-19
Bolivia as at Friday has 44,113 confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,638 deaths.
The country is seeing an increase in the number of new cases amid reports that hospitals are being overwhelmed in some regions.
In the highland city of Cochabamba, scenes have emerged of bodies lying in the streets and coffins waiting for days in homes to be taken away.
Latin America became the pandemic’s epicenter late May and the virus has spread rapidly through the region.
Brazil and Mexico have reported particularly high case numbers and deaths. Brazil has more than 1.7 million cases and more than 69,000 deaths, second on both measures to the US, which has over 3.2 million cases and more than 130,000 fatalities.
Cases in Latin America have contributed significantly to recent record rises in case numbers.
