Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro gets hospitalised to find cause of 'hiccups'

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been hospitalised to identify the cause of chronic hiccups, the government said.

The 66-year-old far-right leader had been complaining publically since last week that he had been suffering from the hiccups following surgery on a dental implant on July 3.

Bolsonaro was taken to a military hospital in the capital Brasilia "to undergo tests and to investigate the cause of the hiccups," said the statement from the presidential palace.

"He is in good spirits and feels well," said the presidency, adding that Bolsonaro would remain under observation for the next 24-48 hours, although "not necessarily in hospital."

Speaking to a local radio station last week, Bolsonaro had said: "This happened to me before, maybe due to the medicine I'm taking, I have hiccups 24 hours a day."

On Tuesday night, a tired-looking Bolsonaro had complained to supporters outside his official residence in Brasilia about the problem.

"People, my voice has gone. If I start talking a lot, the hiccups return ... they already have," he said.

Bolsonaro's health has been an issue during his presidency, after he was stabbed and seriously injured in the intestines on the campaign trail in 2018.

He has had other scares. In July last year, Bolsonaro caught COVID-19 but recovered. In appearances over the last few months, he has had a stubborn cough. More recently, he has had hiccups, which have led to concerns about his health.

(With inputs from agencies)