“Don’t Believe In The Fake News Media!” Rubbishing Media Reports, Bolsonaro Says He Has Tested Negative For Covid-19

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on Friday he had tested negative for the new coronavirus contradicting earlier reports that he’d tested positive.

Bolsonaro was monitored and tested for the coronavirus after it emerged that Fábio Wajngarten, the President’s chief of communications, was tested positive for the illness after returning to Brazi from an official visit to United States. During the trip, both Bolsonaro and Wajngarten had met with U.S President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and several top US officials.

Posting an update on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts, the president said that “The Armed Forces Hospital and (diagnostic laboratory) Sabin have returned a negative test result for COVID-19”. The post was accompanied by a picture of Bolsonaro flashing an arm in a gesture directed at the press.

"Don't believe in the fake news media!" said a second message from the president.

Media reports claimed earlier that Bolsonaro had tested positive for coronavirus and was awaiting the results of a second test to confirm.

Citing sources within the Brazilian administration, O Dia, a major Brazilian media outlet, reported on Friday morning that a preliminary test had shown Bolsonaro had tested positive.

The Brazilian 's office said all officials who were with him in the United States were being tested. They included the defense, security and foreign ministers, as well as the president's son Eduardo, a federal lawmaker.

Bolsonaro has been accused of downplaying the threat of coronavirus. Earlier this week, the president during a news conference said “During the past year, obviously, we have had moments of crisis. A lot of that is fantasy,”. He also suggested that mainstream media has hyped up coronavirus threat.