Mexico’s president tests positive for COVID-19

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO (AA) - Mexico’s president announced Sunday that he has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and has started medical treatment.

“I regret to inform you that I’m infected with Covid-19. The symptoms are mild and I’m already under medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will pull through,” Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on his Twitter account.

The president said he will deal with pending issues from the National Palace.

“I will be attending to public matters from the National Palace. For example, tomorrow I will take a call from [Russian] President Vladimir Putin because, friendly relations aside, there is the possibility that they will send us the Sputnik V vaccine,” he said.

On Sunday, the president led the inauguration of the installation of the National Guard in the state of San Luis Potosi, a public event where he was not wearing a face mask.

His infection comes 14 days after presidential spokesman Jesus Ramirez Cuevas tested positive for the virus.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reached out to the president, wishing him well.

“My best wishes for the quick recovery of our President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He will pull through,” Ebrard said in a tweet.

The National Council of Science and Technology estimates that Mexico has a total of 1,948,355 coronavirus cases and 168,340 deaths.

As of Jan. 23, the country had administered 618,768 vaccines.