UPDATE - Brazil president Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19

ADDS MORE REMARKS; CHANGES DECK

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro announced Tuesday that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

"I feel good, all normal," Bolsonaro said in a live interview on state-run TV Brasil, after announcing his test results.

He said he is taking anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, an antibiotic, as treatment.

"The contaminated population does not feel anything," the president said. "I had a small illness, if I had taken hydroxychloroquine preventively, I wouldn't have any reaction".

He noted that he will follow the guidelines and will work through video conference.

Bolsonaro took the test, for the fourth time, on Monday after showing symptoms, including a fever began Sunday.

The president has been facing severe backlash since the beginning of the outbreak for downplaying threats of the virus, calling the disease a "little flu".

Brazil is the epicenter of Latin America and second worst-hit country by the pandemic with over 1.6 million cases and nearly 65,500 fatalities, according to running tally of US-based Johns Hopkins University.