President Bolsonaro Tests Positive After Dining With Trump Saturday: Brazilian Press

It’s official: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for coronavirus, making him the highest ranking political leader in the world to get Covid-19 thus far.

It was first reported Thursday that Bolsonaro was being monitored and tested, after his press secretary Fabio Wajngarten had tested positive for the virus.

Crucially Bolsonaro along with his aide met with Donald Trump when the Brazilian delegation traveled to Mar-a-Lago on 7 March, with Bolsonaro reportedly having more contact with Trump than this aide, including a Saturday evening dinner at the resort.

Local Brazilian media reports Bolsonaro will undergo a second COVID-19 test to confirm the first.

On Thursday some unconfirmed local reports began saying Bolsonaro had tested positive, but other sources denied what appeared premature speculation.

Journalist Glenn Greenwald writes of Friday’s breaking Brazilian newspaper reports: “A reasonably reliable Brazilian newspaper is reporting, based on sources with first-hand knowledge inside the presidential palace, that Bolsonaro’s first test was positive for COVID-19.” He added that “A second more reliable test was performed; results available today.”

BREAKING: #Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro Tests Positive for #CoronaVirus. He was in US and dined with Trump on Saturday, March 7.

He is highest ranking political leader to get COVID-19. https://t.co/1pm6YZ9wrT

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) March 13, 2020

The Brazilian president’s office has yet to comment on or confirm the new reporting early Friday.

Likely this means the US president himself will now be closely monitored and tested, if not already.

developing…