The EU has postponed a summit after European Council President Charles Michel went into quarantine after close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, his spokesperson announced on Wednesday.
"The President is tested regularly and tested negative yesterday," spokesperson Barend Leyts said on Twitter. "Respecting Belgian rules, he has gone into quarantine as of today."
Michel learned on Tuesday that a security officer, who he had been in close contact with, had tested positive, Leyts added.
The summit set for Thursday and Friday was to address issues as wide-ranging as Brexit negotiations, climate change and the tensions between Greece and Turkey over energy rights.
It has been postponed by a week and will now go ahead on October 1 and 2.
Of the many presidencies within the European Union, a key function for the European Council President is chairing gatherings of EU heads of state and government — meaning Michel is the bloc's top representative at leaders' summits.
COVID-19 changes politics
Live summits with the leaders of EU nations coming to Brussels only resumed over the summer. Throughout the spring, they met through video conferences while staying in their own capitals.
As the 27 EU leaders brokered an €1.85 trillion ($2.1 trillion) agreement on a pandemic recovery fund and long-term EU budget, Michel forced leaders to stay for four days in Brussels. During the time, the leaders often wore face masks and met in a room that normally holds 300 to accommodate social distancing. Key meetings were held on a roof terrace under the open sky.
The announcement came even as the coronavirus pandemic forced the UN General Assembly to hold its 2010 gathering with most of its core speakers issuing video addresses from afar.
Read more: Opinion: EU coronavirus deal is the wrong answer for Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron is the latest top-tier politician to come down with a case of COVID-19. He's the latest among several, perhaps unsurprisingly given politicians' busy schedules and frequent travel.
Image: Olivier Hoslet/REUTERSFrench President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the virus on December 17. Following the diagnosis, he canceled all of his upcoming trips, including one to Lebanon, and said he would self-isolate for seven days. French Prime Minsiter Jean Castex was also set to isolate after coming into contact with Macron.
Polish President Andrzej Duda tested positive for coronavirus in October, as the country was facing surge in new infections. Duda, an ally of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party, was "feeling fine" at the time of the diagnosis. The day before officials announced his infection, the number of new cases in the country of 38 million hit a daily record of more than 13,600.
Donald Trump, who once said COVID-19 tests were "beautiful," tested positive for the coronavirus, along with his wife Melania, soon after senior aide Hope Hicks also contracted the virus. The infection came less than a month before November's presidential elections in the US.
Prime Minister of Eswatini Ambrose Dlamini died at the age of 52 after contracting coronavirus. He was the first sitting leader to succumb to the virus.
Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing died aged 94 on December 2 after contracting COVID-19. During his rule, he legalized abortion and brought the country high-speed trains. He also promoted cooperation among European nations, especially in tandem with the former West Germany, forging a strong rapport with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
The 83-year-old former Italian premier tested positive for the virus and is believed to be asymptomatic, his party announced on September 2. Two of Berlusconi's children as well as his 30-year-old girlfriend are also COVID-19 positive. The ex-premier tested positive after vacationing along Sardinia's coastline, where Italy's rich and famous have been known to flaunt mask policies.
Brazil's president, who has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the pandemic, contracted the virus in July. He was criticized for ignoring the safety measures recommended by health experts both before and after his diagnosis, including shaking hands and hugging supporters in crowds. His wife and sons also tested positive.
In late March, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came down with a coronavirus infection that landed him in the hospital for several days. Johnson spent a week at a hospital in London and three nights in intensive care where he was given oxygen and observed around the clock. He was released in mid-April and credited hospital staff with saving his life.
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, tested positive for the virus in March. The top Brussels official sent out a tweet in English as well as French saying he was doing well and "in good spirits." He added: "I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team."
Belarus's embattled President Lukashenko told military officials on July 28 that he had survived an "asymptomatic" COVID-19 infection "on his feet," days before his contentious re-election. The claim met skepticism given its timing. He initially dismissed fears about the pandemic as a "psychosis" and went as far as suggesting cures such as drinking vodka, taking saunas and playing ice hockey.
Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Anez announced on July 10 that she had the virus. "I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis," the leader tweeted at the time.
The president of Honduras spent time being treated at a military hospital after falling ill with coronavirus in June. He received specialized care including receiving medicines via an intravenous drip. His wife and two presidential aids also tested positive. Hernandez left hospital in early July after his symptoms improved.
The Guatemalan president told local radio on September 18 that he had tested positive for the virus. The 64-year-old, who has multiple sclerosis and uses canes to walk, said his symptoms were mild. The government said Giammattei plans on monitoring his health and continuing official duties from isolation.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was flown to Germany hospital for treatment after contracting the virus. The 74-year-old looked haggard and spent in his public appearance 47 days after testing positive.
Luis Abinader, the newly elected president of the Dominican Republic, tested positive during his election campaign. He recovered before the July election and spent one week in isolation.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who has led Germany's fight against the pandemic, tested positive for the coronavirus in October and had "cold-like symptoms." He went into immediate isolation and soon recovered. Despite a couple of self-isolation scares for Angela Merkel and other ministers, Spahn remains Germany's highest-profile political case to date.
This gallery does not include all major politicians who have contracted the coronavirus. Others, such as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, are just some of the other top politicians who have contracted the virus.
kmm/msh (AP, dpa)
