Jul 9, 2020 - World

Bolivia's interim president tests positive for coronavirus

Bolivian interim President Jeanine Anez. Photo: Aizar Radles/AFP via Getty Images

Bolivia's interim President Jeanine Añez tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: She's the latest world leader known to have contracted the virus, joining Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Monaco's Prince Albert II. All have survived, though Johnson was hospitalized and in intensive care for a period in March.

The big picture: The coronavirus is quickly spreading through South America, straining government resources and health care infrastructure.

Bolivia has reported nearly 43,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and just over 1,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data.
Bolivia’s Health Minister María Eidy Roca also announced she tested positive for the virus on Sunday and is in stable condition, according to Reuters.

Between the lines: The news of Añez's diagnosis comes with Bolivia in the midst of a prolonged political crisis following the resignation in November of President Evo Morales, who is now in exile.

Añez, a hardline conservative, assumed power in a caretaker role but has been accused of punishing Morales’ left-wing allies and overstepping her authority, particularly now that elections have been delayed until October.
She is a candidate in those elections.

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Fadel Allassan

24 hours ago - Health

Florida surpasses 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases

Emergency at Coral Gables Hospital near Miami on July 30. Photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Florida has reported over 500,000 total confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, according to the state's health department.

Why it matters: Florida joins California as the only two states to surpass this milestone. Texas, which is reporting the third-most confirmed cases in the country, is not far behind, according to Johns Hopkins data.

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Axios

Updated 19 hours ago - Health

U.S. coronavirus updates

Data: The COVID Tracking Project; Note: Does not include probable deaths from New York City; Map: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios

Despite some case decreases, COVID-19 deaths are on the rise in the U.S., with California reporting a record-high average this week.

Driving the news: President Trump said in an interview with “Axios on HBO” he thinks the coronavirus is as well-controlled in the U.S. as it can be, despite dramatic surges in new infections over the summer and more than 150,000 American deaths.

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Dave Lawler, Zachary Basu

45 mins ago - World

Elliott Abrams to replace Brian Hook as Trump's Iran envoy

Brian Hook. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Image

President Trump's Iran envoy, Brian Hook, is stepping down, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Thursday. He will be replaced with Venezuela envoy Elliott Abrams, a noted Iran hawk who will serve in both roles.

Why it matters: Hook had been tasked with executing Trump's "maximum pressure" policy toward Iran, working closely with Pompeo. That strategy has deepened tensions and thus far failed to force Iran back to the negotiating table, as Trump had hoped.