Brazilian leader admitted to hospital for persistent hiccups

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been admitted to a hospital to determine what is causing hiccups that have lasted for days

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday to determine what is causing hiccups that have lasted for days, according to a statement from the President's office. Bolsonaro was at the Armed Forces Hospital in Brasília and was “feeling well,” according to the statement. He was to be under observation for 24 to 48 hours, either at the hospital or at home. Bolsonaro has appeared to struggle with speaking on various occasions in recent weeks and said that he suffers from recurring hiccups. “I apologize to everyone who is listening to me, because I’ve been hiccuping for five days now,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with Radio Guaiba on July 7. He suggested that some medications prescribed after dental surgery might be the cause. "I have the hiccups 24 hours a day.”