'He became a hero': Bolsonaro sees popularity surge as Covid-19 spreads

Emergency aid payments have helped Brazil's president win support despite the virus raging. But things could soon change

Brazil's hard-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, dismissed Covid-19 as a little flu", and said it should be faced like a man, not a boy".

He sneered that self-isolating was for the weak" and raged against lockdown measures. He clashed with state governors, and his own former health minister savaged his handling of the pandemic.