Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies Prez tests Covid-19 positive

Brasilia, Sep 17 (IANS) Rodrigo Maia, President of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his press office said.

Maia, 50, came down with mild symptoms of the disease and is being treated at the official residence of the Chamber of Deputies here, where he will remain in quarantine, Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying on Wednesday.

Judge Luiz Fux, president of the Federal Supreme Court who took office last week, tested positive on Monday and is quarantined in Rio de Janeiro.

Some other top Brazilian officials have also tested positive in recent months.

Senate President Davi Alcolumbre announced in March that he had contracted Covid-19 before the Congress suspended face-to-face meetings.

President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive in July and recovered after having only mild symptoms, after which First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro also contracted the virus.

Brazil currently accounts for the third highest number of Covid-19 cases and third highest deaths.

As of Thursday, the number of cases increased to 4,419,083, while the death toll stood at 134,106.

The state of Sao Paulo was the worst-hit, accounting for over 909,000 positive cases and 33,253 fatalities.

The other hard-hit states include Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Ceara.

–IANS

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