Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga has tested positive for COVID-19 while in New York City for the UN General Assembly (UNGA), he confirmed Tuesday night.
Why it matters: Hours earlier, Queirog had accompanied Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to the UNGA. The Biden administration expressed concern last week that the gathering of world leaders could become a coronavirus "superspreader event."
Details: Queiroga tweeted that he's entering quarantine and would follow all health protocols.
- Brazil's health ministry said in a statement to news outlets that the "minister is doing well" and that the other Brazilian delegates at the UN gathering had tested negative for the virus.
- Queiroga told CNN Brazil that he wore a mask when he attended UN meetings.
Of note: Bolsonaro, who's repeatedly railed against pandemic measures and has been fined by São Paulo's state government for not wearing a mask, tweeted video of himself without a face covering as he greeted supporters in New York.
- Queiroga posted a photo to Twitter of a meeting he attended Monday with Bolsonaro, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other delegates. Queiroga was wearing a mask in the photo.
Em Nova York com o PR @jairbolsonaro, reunimos com o primeiro-ministro do Reino Unido, @BorisJohnson. Falei do avanço da vacinação e o controle da pandemia no 🇧🇷. Também tratamos sobre colaboração do NHS c/o #SUS e possibilidades de desenvolvimento do Complexo Industrial da Saúde pic.twitter.com/uX98UforWg
— Marcelo Queiroga (@mqueiroga2) September 20, 2021
Flashback: Brazil's Bolsonaro tests positive for coronavirus
Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of Queiroga's meeting on Monday.
