Brazil's Health Minister Tests Positive for Covid at U.N.

Brazil’s well being minister stated that he had examined constructive for the coronavirus on Tuesday in New York, the place he was attending the United Nations Basic Meeting together with the nation’s unvaccinated president, Jair Bolsonaro.

The well being minister, Marcelo Queiroga, tweeted that he would quarantine in america and was “following all well being security protocols.” Dr. Queiroga, who is a cardiologist, received the CoronaVac vaccine, made by Beijing-based Sinovac, early this 12 months.

Your entire Brazilian delegation “has determined to self-quarantine for 14 days,” stated Stéphane Dujarric, a U.N. spokesman.

Dr. Queiroga had accompanied Mr. Bolsonaro throughout his go to to New York for the U.N. assembly. Earlier than testing constructive, he was seen on video shaking palms with Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, when Mr. Johnson met Mr. Bolsonaro on Monday.

Opposite to earlier stories, Dr. Queiroga didn’t meet this week with Secretary Basic Antonio Guterres, Mr. Dujarric stated.

“Now we have seemed into the potential publicity to U.N. employees” within the Basic Meeting corridor, “and speak to tracing is being finalized,” Mr. Dujarric stated. “At current, no shut contacts amongst U.N. employees have been recognized.”

On Monday night time, Dr. Queiroga made headlines in Brazil after he was filmed giving anti-Bolsonaro demonstrators the center finger as he and different members of the federal government delegation left a dinner on the residence of the nation’s ambassador to the United Nations.

The president’s workplace stated in a press release issued late Tuesday that Dr. Queiroga would stay in america whereas he recovers and stated he was “doing properly.”

“We additionally inform that the opposite members of the delegation examined unfavorable for the virus,” the statement said.

Dr. Queiroga had a busy agenda in New York. He had breakfast with a gaggle of buyers; participated in a gathering with Brazil’s first woman, Michelle Bolsonaro; paid tribute on the Sept. 11 memorial; and spoke to senior officers on the World Well being Group.

In March, he grew to become Mr. Bolsonaro’s fourth well being minister in lower than a 12 months; the primary two have been compelled out after disagreeing with the president on dealing with the pandemic. Dr. Queiroga’s tenure has been marred by allegations that senior ministry officers sought kickbacks as they negotiated the acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines.

Mr. Bolsonaro’s dealing with of the pandemic in South America’s largest nation has been broadly criticized. On Tuesday, he used his speech on the Basic Meeting to defend using ineffective medicine to deal with the coronavirus and argued that medical doctors ought to have had extra leeway in administering untested medicines for Covid-19.

Mr. Bolsonaro, who had a gentle case of Covid-19 in July of final 12 months, has stated he was in no hurry to get vaccinated, which made for an ungainly alternate throughout his assembly with Mr. Johnson, who hailed the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed in Britain at Oxford College.

“Get AstraZeneca vaccines,” stated Mr. Johnson, who survived a severe case of Covid final 12 months. “I’ve had it twice.”

Mr. Bolsonaro pointed to himself and stated: “Not but.”

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