Bolivian vice president, 6 ministers test positive for coronavirus

MEXICO CITY

Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca has tested positive for the coronavirus along with six Cabinet ministers, officials said Tuesday.

Choquehuanca, who previously contracted the virus on two separate occasions, tested positive earlier Tuesday, said authorities.

At the beginning of 2021, Choquehuanca was vaccinated with the Sinofarm coronavirus vaccine. But after disclosing his preference for natural medicine, which spurred controversy, he said he overcame his previous infections by using traditional medicine.

“We have to take care of the health of the Bolivian people with the two medicines: pharmacological medicine and natural, ancestral and traditional medicine to defeat Covid19,” he wrote on Twitter after receiving his first shot.

Six high-profile Cabinet ministers are also infected, including the head of national defense, education and foreign minister.

According to the Health Department, Bolivia has administered 10.5 million doses in its population of 11.67 million, with 3.7 million fully vaccinated and more than 5 million citizens receiving one dose.

Bolivia has vaccinated 332,370 children aged 5 to 11, with at least one shot, while 44,687 children from the same age group have been administered both doses.

Among those 60 and older, more than 72% are fully vaccinated with mortality rates dropping by 0.6%.

Bolivia has 686,023 cases and 19,999 confirmed deaths from the virus, according to John Hopkins University.