Panama’s President Laurentino Cortizo announced Monday he has been diagnosed with a rare blood disorder.
The 69-year-old Cortizo said in a statement the “medium risk” myelodysplastic syndrome was discovered as part of routine blood tests taken in May that showed a drop in his hemoglobin and white blood cell count.
Myelodysplastic syndrome affects the blood-forming cells in bone marrow. The American Cancer Society considers it a type of cancer.
Cortizo is due to get a second opinion at a specialist in Houston, Texas, after his July 1 annual address to Panama’s National Assembly.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
