BRASILIA  - Brazil's Environment Minister Ricardo Salles tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the ministry said in a statement, becoming at least the 15th member of President Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet to be diagnosed with the disease since the pandemic began.

Salles had a light fever but was otherwise well and self-isolating at the direction of doctors, the ministry said.

Bolsonaro, who has sought to downplay the severity of the pandemic, also tested positive for the coronavirus last year.