Mexico's president is treated for virus

He says symptoms mild from covid-19

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2020 file photo, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gives his daily, morning news conference at the presidential palace, Palacio Nacional, in Mexico City. Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is under medical treatment, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)
FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2020 file photo, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gives his daily, morning news conference at the presidential palace, Palacio Nacional, in Mexico City. Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador says he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is under medical treatment, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday that he has tested positive for covid-19 and that the symptoms are mild.

Lopez Obrador, who has been criticized for his handling of the pandemic and for not setting an example of virus prevention in public, said on his official Twitter account that he is "under medical treatment."

"I regret to inform you that I am infected with COVID-19," he tweeted. "The symptoms are mild but I am already under medical treatment. As always, I am optimistic. We will all move forward."

Jose Luis Alomia Zegarra, Mexico's director of epidemiology, said Lopez Obrador had a "light" case of covid-19 and was "isolating at home." He has a team of doctors looking after him.

Lopez Obrador wrote that Interior Secretary Olga Sanchez Cordero will take over for him while he recovers. She will apparently appear at Lopez Obrador's daily news conferences, at which he usually speaks for two hours without breaks each weekday.

Lopez Obrador, 67, has rarely been seen wearing a mask and has continued to keep up a busy travel schedule while taking commercial flights.

He has also resisted locking down the economy, noting the devastating effect it would have on so many Mexicans who live day to day, despite the country reporting nearly 150,000 covid-19 deaths and more than 1.7 million infections.

Early in the pandemic, when asked how he was protecting Mexico, Lopez Obrador removed two religious amulets from his wallet and showed them off.

"The protective shield is the 'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" Lopez Obrador said, reading off the inscription on the amulet. "Stop, enemy, for the heart of Jesus is with me."

In November, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, urged Mexico's leaders be serious about the coronavirus and set examples for its citizens, saying that "Mexico is in bad shape" with the pandemic.

He didn't name Lopez Obrador, but he said, "We would like to ask Mexico to be very serious."

"We have said it in general, wearing a mask is important, hygiene is important and physical distancing is important, and we expect leaders to be examples," he added.

At the start of the pandemic, Lopez Obrador was criticized for still leaning into crowds and giving hugs. Lopez Obrador's style of politics has always been very hands-on and personal. As the pandemic grew, he began limiting attendance to his events and maintaining his distance from supporters.

Despite his age and high blood pressure, as well as undergoing surgery after a heart attack, Lopez Obrador said he wouldn't jump the line for a vaccination. But he was getting tested for the coronavirus once a week.

Lopez Obrador's turn for a vaccine could still be weeks away as the country works to vaccinate front-line health care workers.

As of Sunday night, Mexico had given nearly 630,000 doses of vaccine.

Lopez Obrador's announcement came shortly after news emerged that he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin today about obtaining doses of the Sputnik V covid-19 vaccine.

Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said on Twitter that the two leaders would speak about their countries' relationship and about supplying doses of the vaccine.

The vaccine has not been approved for use in Mexico, but the government is desperate to fill supply gaps for the Pfizer vaccine.

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