French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19, the French Presidency said on Thursday.
"The President of the Republic has been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 today," a statement said. The diagnosis was made following a PCR test performed after he showed initial symptoms, though his symptoms were not listed.
Macron will self-isolate for seven days, according to the statement, but will "continue to work and take care of his activities at a distance."
In light of the diagnosis, Macron has canceled all of his upcoming trips, including a scheduled visit to Lebanon.
His office is also currently in the process of identifying those people with whom he may have been in contact. Macron attended a European Council heads of state meeting on December 10 and 11, where EU leaders met in person for the first time since October.
At the summit, Macron also met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who tested negative for COVID-19 after the meeting. "The chancellor was tested a few days after the EU summit, as is routine," a spokeswoman said. "The chancellor sends the French president her best wishes for a speedy recovery."
On Tuesday, Macron also had lunch with the heads of political groups at the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament. Macron and his wife Brigitte also hosted a private dinner with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during which he awarded him the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.
Quarantine for other politicians
Prime Minister Jean Castex will also self-isolate after coming into contact with Macron. Castex has not shown symptoms, but will no longer be going to the French Senate on Thursday to outline the government's vaccine strategy to combat the virus, his office said in a statement.
Brigitte, 67, has also entered quarantine but is showing no symptoms. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he will self-isolate until December 24. He met with Macron on Monday of this week.
Meanwhile, Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa said he will self-isolate and canceled all of his official trips, after meeting with Macron.
Costa's office said he displayed no symptoms and was awaiting the result of a coronavirus test.
"The prime minister decided to cancel the trip, as well as any public agenda that implies his physical presence," the statement said. "He will keep all executive activities and work schedule, which will be carried out remotely."
Images from Wednesday showed Macron welcoming Costa to the Elysee Palace, with both leaders wearing masks and standing shoulder to shoulder outside the building's entrance. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, also decided to self-isolate out of precaution.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, however, said she will not quarantine after meeting with Macron earlier in the week.
Macron's positive test was announced just two days after France relaxed measures to curb a second wave of the virus, replacing a nationwide lockdown with a curfew.
France has recorded over 2.4 million cases and 59,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
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.
lc/rt (Reuters, AP)
