The governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he had contracted the new coronavirus, while specifying that he would continue to work from his official residence. "I haven't been feeling well since Friday, I asked to be tested for Covid-19 and I got the positive today , " said Wilson Witzel, 52, in a video posted on the social network. “I had a fever, a sore throat and I lost my sense of smell. Thank goodness today I feel good and I will continue to work, while following the (travel) restrictions and medical recommendations ” , he added.
Monday evening, the governor had announced the extension until April 30 of the containment measures in force in the state of Rio, populated by 16 million inhabitants. "I ask again that everyone stay at home, because the disease, as you can see, does not choose its victims and spreads quickly," he concluded.
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With the governor of Sao Paulo, Joao Doria, Wilson Witzel is one of the spearheads in Brazil of the policy of social distancing to stem the spread of the pandemic. In recent weeks, he has faced harsh criticism from President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly played down the severity of the pandemic and questioned the containment.
According to the latest official report from the Ministry of Health, the State of Rio had 3,410 cases of Covid-19, including 224 deaths. The national death toll stands at 25,262 confirmed cases and 1,532 deaths.