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The Elysee Palace said 42-year-old Macron was diagnosed after being tested “at the onset of the first symptoms.”
“In accordance with current health regulations applicable to all, the President of the Republic will isolate himself for 7 days. He will continue working and carrying out his activities remotely,” the statement added.
French first lady Brigitte Macron, 67, was protectively quarantined but “showed no symptoms,” her office told French media.
Prime Minister Jean Castex went into quarantine, despite testing negative Thursday morning. The president of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, will also be in quarantine for seven days.
Macron’s planned trip to Lebanon next week has been canceled.
The French president met with several other top European leaders in recent days, several of whom announced that they would be quarantined in the wake of Macron’s diagnosis.
The Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and The Secretary General of the OECD, Ángel Gurría, said they would enter quarantine as a precautionary measure.
Here’s what we know about Macron’s movements in recent days:
- On Wednesday, he met Portuguese Prime Minister Costa for lunch and attended a cabinet meeting, according to the Elysee Palace.
- On Tuesday, Macron met with several people, including the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer.
- On Monday, he attended a working lunch at the Elysee on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, where he met with the Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, the President of the European Council Michel and the Secretary General of the OECD, Ángel Gurría.
- Macron was also at the European Council in Brussels last Thursday and Friday, which was attended by 25 of 27 EU leaders (two were absent for Covid-related reasons).
An EU official at the European Council, who is not authorized to speak officially on the protocol measures, told CNN that “all sanitary measures were observed and we have not been informed of any other participants or personnel present during the summit. that has tested positive. “
Gurria said on Twitter that he was under quarantine and testing, and that all pertinent measures were being taken to safeguard the well-being of guests and staff at the OECD event.
Spain’s Prime Minister Sánchez tested negative for Covid-19 on Thursday and will be in quarantine until December 24, according to a statement from his office. He sent his “best wishes” to Macron in a tweet. A spokesman for the European Commission said Michel would go into quarantine “as a precautionary measure” but noted that Michel had tested negative as of Tuesday.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin tested negative for coronavirus on Thursday afternoon, a government spokesman told CNN.
Martin had announced earlier that day that he was “limiting his movements” after attending the European Council meeting.
“I’m sorry to hear that my friend @EmmanuelMacron tested positive for coronavirus. We all wish you a speedy recovery,” Johnson tweeted on Thursday.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, wished Macron “a speedy recovery”.
France has been on lockdown since early November. It was scheduled to be lifted this week but has been delayed as new cases remain well above the 5,000-a-day target that Macron had set as a precondition for lifting restrictions.
France reported 17,615 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, its highest number since November 21, bringing it to more than 2.4 million infections since the start of the pandemic. The country also reported 289 deaths on Wednesday, with a total of 59,361 deaths from Covid-19.
French television showed images of artists and cultural workers protesting across the country on Tuesday after theaters, museums and cinemas failed to reopen as planned. Instead, they will remain closed for three more weeks, Castex said.
The curfew hours from 9 pm to 6 am were also extended Tuesday from 8 pm to 6 am. However, French citizens will no longer need certificates to leave their homes, Castex said. They will also be allowed to travel to other regions. The restaurants and cafes are still scheduled to reopen on January 20, 2021.
CNN’s James Frater, Saska Vandoorne, Gaëlle Fournier, Al Goodman and Claudia Rebaza contributed to this report.
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