Mexican President, who has been criticized for his handling of Mexico’s coronavirus outbreak, said on Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19, but that his symptoms were mild and he felt “optimistic.”

Iran PressAmerica: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, 67, has been criticized for his handling of Mexico’s coronavirus outbreak, including for taking too long to impose a lockdown at the start of the pandemic and for continuing to hold rallies and greet supporters with handshakes and hugs. 

The Mexican president has resisted locking down the economy, noting the devastating effect it would have on so many people who live day to day.

Mexico is in the grip of a second wave of the pandemic and has the world’s fourth-highest toll after the United States, Brazil, and India.

Since mid-December, Mexico City has been in a state of maximum alert, with more than 90 percent of hospital beds full due to soaring cases.

On Sunday, the health ministry reported 10,872 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 530 fatalities, bringing its totals to 1,763,219 infections and 149,614 deaths.

The real number of infected people and deaths is likely to be significantly higher than the official count, officials say.

Meanwhile, The number of coronavirus cases in the United States crossed 25 million on Sunday, a Reuters tally showed, as states accelerate their vaccine distribution and more infectious strains are found globally.

More than 99,771,660 people across the globe were infected with the virus, and more than 2,138,970 lost their lives.

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