Amid grim toll, leader infected
MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador yesterday said he had tested positive for Covid19 and that the symptoms were mild, as the country’s death toll from the pandemic neared 150,000
Obrador, who has been criticised for his handling of the pandemic, tweeted that he was having medical treatment.
‘‘I regret to inform you that I am infected with Covid19.
‘‘The symptoms are mild but I am already under medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will all move forward,’’ he said.
His announcement came shortly after news emerged that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin today about obtaining doses of the Sputnik V Covid19 vaccine, and as the nation approached a grim milestone deaths from the virus.
Mexico was yesterday set to surpass 150,000 deaths from Covid19, one of the world’s highest death tolls, a Reuters tally showed.
Its death count is closing the gap with that of India, a country with a population several times larger. Only the United States and Brazil have reported higher numbers. — AP/Reuters