Bolivia leader 'asymptomatic' after virus test: doctor

Bolivia's interim leader Jeanine Anez is self-isolating but is "asymtomatic" after testing positive for the coronavirus, her personal doctor announced Friday.

The 53-year-old, a candidate the September 6 presidential elections, is isolating in the official residence in La Paz, Andrei Miranda told Bolivia's Cadena A television.

"She is absolutely asymptomatic, she does not have any symptoms related to the coronavirus," Miranda said.

Announcing her positive test on Thursday, Anez said in a video on Twitter that she would remain in quarantine for 14 days before taking another test.

Anez was the second South American president in a matter of days to contract the coronavirus, after Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro announced his positive result on Tuesday.

Another high-ranking Latin American government official to contract the virus is Venezuela's Constitutional Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, widely considered the second-most powerful person in the country after President Nicolas Maduro.

Four members of Anez's cabinet had tested positive in recent days, while Senate president Eva Copa went into self-isolation on Wednesday as a precaution.

"Given many of them tested positive over the last week, I took the test and I was also positive," said Anez.

The conservative politician assumed the interim presidency in November after socialist former leader Evo Morales resigned and fled the country following three weeks of unrest over his controversial re-election.

Bolivia, a country of 11 million, has recorded almost 43,000 coronavirus infections and more than 1,500 deaths.