France’s President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing symptoms, according to an official statement from his office on Thursday.
“The diagnosis was established following an RT-PCR test performed as soon as the first symptoms appeared,” the statement from the Elysee Palace announced.
However, despite the diagnosis, Macron will continue working and carrying out his activities remotely.
The French leader’s wife Brigitte Macron, 67, has also gone into quarantine as part of existing health measures but has not presented any symptoms of the virus.
Other top French officials have also been place in quarantine following the report including Prime Minister Jean Castex despite testing negative. France’s National Assembly President Richard Ferrand has also been in quarantine for the next seven days.
The 42-year-old French President will be self-isolating for a week following the diagnosis that has caused other top European Union officials to also isolate after holding meetings with Macron.
The list includes European Council President Charles Michel, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria who announced they will also go on quarantine as a precautionary measure.
The Elysee Palace statement did not disclose what symptoms Macron experienced and has not discussed where he probably contracted the virus. The French leader attended a European Union heads of state meeting last December 10 to 11.
During the state meeting, the French president also had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and met with Portuguese Prime Minister Costa.
A spokesman from Macron’s office also said they have canceled his scheduled trip to Lebanon on Tuesday. Other in-person meetings have also been cancelled, postponed or will now be held via phone or video conference.
Macron is one among many heads of state that has contracted the virus including U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson in March, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in July, and US President Donald Trump in October.
“Sorry to hear my friend @EmmanuelMacron has tested positive for coronavirus. We are all wishing you a speedy recovery,” UK Prime Minister Johnson tweeted on Thursday.
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen also wished Macron “a quick recovery” via Twitter.
“This pandemic, we are going to defeat it together. We will continue to work hand in hand to immunize and protect our citizens,” Von Der Leyen tweeted in French.
France has been in a lockdown since early last month but has recently eased restriction despite infection rates remaining high at 5,000 cases per day. The EU country has also imposed a nationwide curfew at 8 p.m. as many restaurants and cafes in key cities like Paris have remained closed to help stop the spread of the virus.
Read More Stories: 81 Million Jobs Lost in the Asia-Pacific Region due to COVID-19
