Costa Rican President Oscar Arias is suffering from the H1N1 virus, making him the first head of state known to have contracted swine flu.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Arias (68) has a mild case of the virus which he tested positive for yesterday after feeling unwell at the weekend, the government said.
Mr Arias, who suffers from asthma, is at home and plans to do some work from there.
"Apart from the fever and a sore throat, I feel well and in good shape to carry out my work by telecommuting. I expect to return to all my duties on Monday," he said in a statement.
The H1N1 flu outbreak, declared a pandemic on June 11th, has spread around the world since emerging in April and could eventually affect two billion people, according to estimates by the UN World Health Organization. More than 20 people have died of swine flu in Costa Rica.
While the vast majority of swine flu cases have not been serious, infected people who have other medical conditions are most susceptible to complications.
Last month, Mr Arias brokered talks to try to end a political crisis in Honduras after President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a coup on June 28th.
Negotiations broke down two weeks ago over whether Mr Zelaya can return to power and Mr Arias's illness is unlikely to affect the situation in Honduras.
Mr Arias won the Nobel prize in 1987 for a peace plan to end Central American civil wars and guerrilla conflicts.
Reuters