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President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador Sunday said he had tested positive for COVID-19. The 67-year-old president said in a tweet that his symptoms were light and he was receiving medical treatment. “As always, I am optimistic,” said Lopez Obrador, who has resisted wearing a face mask. His announcement came as the country is battling an intense second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that has pushed the health system of the country’s vast capital city close to plethora.
The Mexican President has frequently been criticised for his handling of the pandemic, giving priority to the economical impact over people’s health. His strategy has focused more on increasing hospital capacity rather than testing and contact tracing. The nation has shunned mandatory lockdowns, opting for a structured-level based, system of restrictions to limit the economic decline. Mexico reported 10,872 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 530 fatalities, its health ministry said on Sunday. These numbers sum up to 1,763,219 infections and 149,614 deaths, the fourth-highest death toll worldwide.
Hospitals in Mexico City are near capacity because of the surge in cases. The real number of infected people and deaths is likely significantly higher than the official count, the health ministry has said. Lopez Obrador said on Twitter that his interior minister would run his regular morning news conference in his absence. “Fortunately, the president is stable at the moment, the symptoms are mild,” said José Luis Alomía Zegarra, a Mexican health official, during a daily news conference held shortly after Lopez Obrador announced his diagnosis.
“A team of medical specialists is attending to the health of the president. “Former president Felipe Calderon, a long-time opponent of Lopez Obrador, wished him well. “Sincerely, I wish for the president’s quick recovery,” he said on Twitter.
Lopez Obrador has maintained a busy public schedule during the pandemic and has said he enjoys good health, after suffering a severe heart attack at the age of 60 in 2013. In the past few days, he has travelled to events across the country, including one earlier on Sunday in the central state of San Luis Potosi. His day begins early with a meeting of his security cabinet, followed by a news conference starting at 0700 on weekdays that often runs to two hours or more. Lopez Obrador said he would still hold a scheduled call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday and keep an eye on public affairs while receiving treatment.
Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard tweeted that the leaders’ would address “the future of the bilateral relationship, as well as the supply of Russian vaccines to Mexico”. The government said this month it aims to acquire 12 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V, with the first potentially arriving as soon as the coming week. Mexico aims to administer 7.4 million doses of Sputnik V by the end of March, as the country grapples to quickly secure as many vaccine supplies as possible. The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only vaccine being distributed in Mexico. The government has said some doses of the Pfizer shot could be delayed, and private companies will be allowed to obtain te drugs directly as the nation struggles to keep raging infections in check.
The post Mexican President Obrador Tests COVID-19 Positive appeared first on Gulistan News.
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January 24, 2021 at 10:16PM
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