Honduran president hospitalized with COVID-19

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was admitted to hospital in the capital Tegucigalpa after announcing he had contracted the coronavirus, the government said.

Doctors who examined the president said laboratory tests showed he was suffering from pneumonia, government spokesman Francis Contreras told reporters at the capital’s Military Hospital.

He added that Hernandez “has some infiltrates in his lungs but his general state of health is good.”

The 51-year-old president announced Tuesday that he had felt discomfort at the weekend that turned out to be COVID-19.

He had “mild symptoms” of the disease and would telework from the hospital, he said.

Hernandez had “maintained at all times the preventive measures recommended by the health authorities, however due to the nature of his work, it was not possible to remain in total isolation,” a government statement said.

His wife Ana Garcia has also tested positive for the coronavirus but has no sysmptoms, officials said.

Honduras is one of the Central American countries worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic with a surge in cases especially in Tegucigalpa and second city San Pedro Sula in the north.

The country has so far registered more than 9,000 cases with 322 deaths.

However, experts claim the number of infections is likely much greater as only around 1,000 tests are carried out daily.