Emmanuel Macron was confirmed by Covid-19 after developing symptoms, the Élysée Palace has announced, forcing several other European leaders who recently met with the French president to stand alone.
In a brief statement on Thursday, the palace said Macron had a PCR test as soon as the symptoms appeared and would be “self-isolated for seven days according to the health protocol applicable to everyone. ”.
The statement said the 42-year-old president would continue to “work and conduct his activities remotely”, but did not give further details about his position. Commenting on the state of anonymity, an Élysée source said Macron was “feeling well”.
Several European leaders who met with Macron this week said after the news that they would be going into quarantine.
The office of the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, who had lunch at the Élysée on Monday before the start of Portuguese presidency of the EU, said that he had postponed all official meetings and visits and was awaiting the outcome. test.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who was accompanied by European council president Charles Michel, had lunch with Macron at the Elysée on Monday, suspended public activity and would be in quarantine until December 24, the office said. aige.
Michel tested negative on Tuesday but would self-destruct as a warning, a Brussels council said. The third guest, José Ángel Gurría, the group’s general secretary for cooperation and economic development, will do the same.
Several French politicians also influenced. Macron was present at the cabinet’s weekly meeting on Wednesday, although French media reported that strict body speed rules were being adhered to and there was considered little risk of disease.
Prime Minister Jean Castex underwent a negative test Thursday but would be self-absorbed for seven days after spending time in contact with Macron recently, his office said. Health Minister Olivier Véran will present the government’s vaccination plan to the upper house of parliament instead of Castex.
French case graph
French parliament spokesman Richard Ferrand is also self-absorbed, as is Macron’s wife Brigitte, who tested negative on Tuesday and shows no symptoms. Macron has postponed a planned trip to Lebanon next week, where he planned to visit French troops and Lebanese officials.
Macron is the latest of several global leaders to test positive for the virus, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who received hospital treatment in October, Jair Bolsonaro, president Brazil, who contracted Covid-19 in July, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was placed in intensive care – albeit not on an air conditioner – in March.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was forced to resign in April and handed over to his deputy, while EU Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier was confirmed in March. German chancellor Angela Merkel was forced to self-destruct after her doctor tested positive the same month.
Jérôme Marty, president of France’s leading medical union, told French radio that the country was “lucky to have a young president”. Macron was “in a position where he has a duty to meet a lot of people”, Marty said, “and the more people you meet, the greater your risk of being corrupted”.
There is no “zero risk”, Marty said. “We can take every precaution to protect ourselves, but the virus can still find a way to get through,” he said. “We see it in our health care facilities, we do more we can protect patients and staff – but it still, from time to time, goes from ward to ward. “