Brazil judge orders Bolsonaro to use face mask in public, threatens penalty for violation

A Brazilian judge has directed President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a face mask in public, threatening to penalise him for each day of violation otherwise. This comes as the South American nation continues to witness a huge surge in COVID-19  cases.

As per reports, Judge Renato Coelho Borelli said in his ruling that Bolsonaro “has exposed other people to the contagion of a disease that has caused national commotion” and warned the Brazillian president that he could be fined up to 2,000 reais ($387) per day if he violates federal district ordinance which has been implemented to curb the spread of the virus. 

READ: Brazil Records 1,022 New Fatalities From COVID-19, Death Toll Soars To 49,976

Renato's ruling

As per local media reports, Judge Renato's order read, "The president of the republic must take all necessary measures to avoid the transmission of Covid-19 – be that in order to protect his own health or that of those around him." 

"Even though there is no consensus within the medical/scientific community about the dissemination of Covid-19 by asymptomatic carriers, it is at best disrespectful to go out in public without using PPE – putting other people’s health at risk," the local media reported quoted Judge Renato. 

As per the Worldometer data, Brazil is currently the world’s second-worst affected country, after the United States, with 1,151,479 case of COVID-19 infection. The country has reported 52,771 deaths so far.

READ: Brazilian Football Legend Ronaldo Has An Adorable Birthday Wish For Good Friend Zidane

Human Trial Of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine In Brazil

Oxford University started human clinical trials for its potential COVID-19 vaccine in Brazil over the last weekend. Vaccine sponsor Lemann Foundation said in a statement that the trials will be performed on 2,000 health workers volunteers in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city, and 1,000 people in Rio de Janeiro.

The potential vaccine is made of a weakened and modified version of adenovirus (a common cold virus) that causes infections in chimpanzees. The team of researchers extracted the genes for the spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus. When the vaccine is injected into a body, the vaccine enters cells and start producing coronavirus spike protein. 

READ: Oxford University Starts Human Trial Of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine In Brazil

READ: European Investors Warn Brazil Ambassadors About Rising Amazon Deforestation

Image Credits: AP