Brazilian minister who traveled to the UN General Assembly has covid-19

UN Assembly: Bolsonaro arrived without vaccination 1:43

(CNN Spanish) -

The Brazilian Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, tested positive for covid-19, according to a statement from the Presidency published on Tuesday night.

The minister was part of Jair Bolsonaro's Presidential Committee in New York for the UN General Assembly.

CNN Brazil reported in the first instance what the minister's condition was, before the statement was published tonight.

The report says that the minister will remain in the United States during his period of isolation.

He also states that the minister "is fine."

He adds that the other members of the Brazilian delegation have tested negative for COVID-19.

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Bolsonaro defends handling of the pandemic during his speech

Earlier this Tuesday, President Bolsonaro arrived at the United Nations building without being vaccinated, despite the fact that there is a vaccination requirement to enter the site.

During his speech, Bolsonaro, who has been criticized for his handling of the pandemic, said that Covid-19 "took everyone by surprise" in 2020.

"I have always advocated that we must fight the virus and unemployment at the same time and with the same sense of responsibility," he said.

"Isolation and containment measures left a legacy of inflation, especially in food, around the world," he added.

And he continued: "In Brazil, to meet the needs of the low-income population that was forced to stay at home due to the decisions made by governors and mayors, people who lost their income, we guarantee them an emergency aid of US $ 800 to 68 million people in 2020. "

Bolsonaro has spoken out publicly against the confinements, receiving criticism from governors such as Sao Paulo's Joao Doria.

By November of this year, all citizens "who have chosen to be vaccinated in Brazil will be duly covered. We support vaccination efforts," he said, and acknowledged the lack of participation of his own government in vaccination.

"However, my administration has not endorsed a health or vaccine passport, or any other obligations related to vaccines."