Politics- Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced he had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, the Miami Herald reported.
- Suarez had gone into self-quarantine on Thursday after meeting with a delegation from Brazil earlier this week that included Jair Bolsonaro and his spokesman. The spokesman has reportedly tested positive for coronvirus.
- Suarez said that the city had planned for such a scenario but was "concerned for people who have had some measure of contact with me."
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Miami mayor Francis Suarez has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Miami Herald reported, after he met with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and his delegation in Miami earlier this week.
After the delegation's visit to Florida, Bolsonaro's spokesman Fabio Wajngarten, tested positive for COVID-19 according to Brazilian media and CNN. On Friday, Bolsonaro said he has tested negative for the virus.
Suarez is not the first Florida politician impacted by the visit. Sen. Rick Scott (R), who also met with the delegation on Monday, announced he was voluntarily entering self-quarantine but had not been tested for the coronavirus.
Suarez told the Herald in an interview on Friday,"It is confirmed that I have the coronavirus. I did test positive for it."
While he insisted he felt healthy, Suarez said he was "concerned for people who have had some measure of contact with me."
In a statement, he asked anyone who had shaken hands with him or been in proximity to him if he coughed or sneezed to self-isolate as a precaution. These individuals did not need to be tested, Suarez said in the statement.
The announcement comes after Suarez told citizens on Thursday that he was entering self-quarantine as a precaution after meeting with Bolsonaro's delegation.
During Bolsonaro's visit to Miami on Monday and Tuesday, Suarez said he was in the same room as the president and his infected staff member.
Suarez said that he did not believe that he had personal contact with the infected individual, and was not experiecing symptoms. However, he chose to enter self-quarantine "out of an abundance of caution."
"I feel healthy, strong, and more than capable of doing my job as mayor," Suarez said on Thursday.
On Friday, Suarez urged anyone who had physical contact twith him to self-quarantine and said he could continue to work while recovering.
"If we did not shake hands or you did not come into contact with me if I coughed or sneezed, there is no action you need to take whatsoever," he said. "If we did, however, touch or shake hands, or if I sneezed or coughed near you since Monday, it is recommended that you self-isolate for 14 days, but you do not need to get tested. After speaking with medical personnel, I will continue to follow Department of Health protocol and remain isolated while I lead our government remotely.
Here is my statement regarding my decision to self-quarantine: pic.twitter.com/zKAmOXIB2Q
- Mayor Francis Suarez (@MiamiMayor) March 12, 2020