Jair Bolsonaro
Jair BolsonaroReuters

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has again tested positive for the new coronavirus, his office announced Wednesday, according to AFP.

The announcement said Bolsonaro would extend his two-week quarantine and suspend upcoming travel plans.

The President has been in self-isolation in the presidential palace in Brasilia since first testing positive for the virus on July 7.

"President Jair Bolsonaro's health continues to improve, under the treatment of the presidential medical team," his office said in a statement.

"A (new coronavirus) test carried out yesterday on the president came back positive," it added.

Bolsonaro told reporters two weeks ago that he had tested positive for COVID-19. Last week he told reporters that he had tested positive again.

Since testing positive after developing a fever and fatigue, he has been working by video conference from the presidential residence, the Alvorada Palace -- a routine he admitted last week he "can't stand."

Following the latest positive test result, his third since getting infected, Bolsonaro "indefinitely postponed" upcoming trips to the north-eastern states of Piaui and Bahia, his office told AFP.

Bolsonaro underwent two previous coronavirus tests after his communications secretary Fabio Wajngarten tested positive. Both of Bolsonaro’s tests came back negative.

After he underwent the first test, Bolsonaro denied having tested positive for coronavirus, disputing reports in local media he had tested positive.

Brazil is the country hit second-hardest by the pandemic, after the United States. It has recorded nearly 2.2 million infections and more than 80,000 deaths.