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French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Thursday that tests confirmed he was infected with the Coronavirus, leading to the start of a follow-up and monitoring campaign that included several European Union leaders and senior officials who met him at the last days.
The French presidency declared that Macron, who will turn 43 on Monday, is running the country remotely after being quarantined in the Laonterne presidential complex near the Palace of Versailles.
A presidential official reported that Macron was tired and coughing. The results of the tests carried out by his wife Brigitte were negative, but he is also subject to self-isolation at the Elysee Palace in central Paris.
Earlier in the evening, Macron spoke at a conference on French foreign aid policy via video link while wearing a muzzle.
“The President of the Republic was diagnosed with Covid-19 today … This diagnosis occurred after an examination (PCR), after the first symptoms appeared,” Macron’s office said in a statement.
Macron will cancel all incoming flights, including a December 22 visit to Lebanon, where he is leading international efforts in a bid to resolve a deep political crisis.
Macron’s infection with the virus prompted other leaders to undergo tests.
Macron attended a European summit last week, during which he met with various European Union leaders to discuss the bloc’s budget, the history of climate change, and differences with Turkey.
Given the timing of his symptoms, Macron was almost certainly injured at the summit, the presidential official said.
Who knew Macron?
Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and others met at first in the summit room and communicated with each other with masks on their faces, but they removed them as soon as they sat down to begin talks. and they kept their distance around the table.
German officials said Merkel donned a muzzle during the summit and adhered to the COVID-19 rules.
The German government said that the results of Merkel’s virus tests after the summit were negative.
Macron had lunch on Monday with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the president of the OECD, Angel Gurría, 70. Macron also held talks with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday.
Sancheth’s office said her test results were negative, but she will be isolated until Dec. 24.
The tests also showed that Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin was not infected with the virus.
An EU spokesperson said that European Council President Charles Michel has started self-isolation as a precautionary measure.
The Portuguese Prime Minister’s Office stated that Costa is in self-isolation despite showing no symptoms and that he is currently awaiting the result of an examination.
Minor symptoms
Macron was injured as negotiations between the UK and the European Union on a post-Brexit deal came to a head, as France said it would rather veto a bad deal rather than slaughter its fishermen.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent his best wishes to the French president today, Thursday, after the news was announced.
Johnson himself contracted COVID-19 in March and became seriously ill.
He tried to beat the disease but ended up in intensive care.
A French official said that US President Donald Trump, who also contracted the virus this year, called Macron on Thursday night and wished him a speedy recovery.
Macron’s aides say he follows a healthy diet, exercises regularly and does not smoke.
France has one of the highest death rates from COVID-19 in Western Europe. The disease has claimed nearly 60,000 lives.
The test results for Macron came after France eased its measures to curb a second wave of the Corona virus, by imposing a nightly curfew instead of a blanket shutdown.
A government spokesman said Macron showed his first symptoms of the disease on Wednesday night after presiding over a government meeting.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex’s office said he would also undergo self-isolation after having had contact with Macron for the past few days, although his test result was negative.
The leaders of political parties in the National Assembly are also subject to self-isolation, having had lunch with Macron this week.
