Story perspectives

Ramaphosa Skips Duties After Illness, India Denies BRICS Fake Claims

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 11:58 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Ramaphosa Takes Sick Leave

President Cyril Ramaphosa was booked off duties after falling ill returning from the BRICS summit.
He returned to South Africa on Monday, September 14, 2026, after the September 12-13 summit.
His medical team advised rest and did not disclose the illness.
Ramaphosa asked cabinet ministers to represent him at scheduled engagements.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile remains unavailable after a minor medical procedure, with no timeline for full return.

Summary

MEA Issues Fake Alert

India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a “Fake Alert” labeling BRICS health claims as malicious.
The MEA fact-checking unit rejected the online narrative that multiple leaders fell ill after the summit.
China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Xi Jinping attended the second session on 13 September and left New Delhi at noon.
Indian officials escorted Xi Jinping to the airport, disproving rumors he departed early for medical reasons.

History

Historical Context

The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, declared by the World Health Organization on June 11, 2009, forced numerous heads of state to cancel or curtail international trips. Barack Obama postponed a planned G-20 visit after his doctor reported 150,000 confirmed H1N1 cases in the United States, representing 0.05 % of the population. Similarly, in September 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Xi Jinping and officials faced health rumors after the BRICS summit, prompting India’s MEA to issue a fact-check. These episodes underscore how pandemic-era misinformation can destabilize diplomatic engagements, urging governments to strengthen real-time health communication protocols.

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Ramaphosa Takes Sick Leave

President Cyril Ramaphosa was booked off duties after falling ill returning from the BRICS summit.
He returned to South Africa on Monday, September 14, 2026, after the September 12-13 summit.
His medical team advised rest and did not disclose the illness.
Ramaphosa asked cabinet ministers to represent him at scheduled engagements.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile remains unavailable after a minor medical procedure, with no timeline for full return.

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