Covid-19: French President Emmanuel Macron tests positive for Coronavirus | world News

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron said that he had tested positive for the Coronavirus.

The Elysee Palace in Paris said on Thursday that the 42-year-old had been tested after showing early symptoms.

He will now be isolated for seven days but will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely.

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Macron speaks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban alongside Polish Prime Minister Matthews Murawiecki, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium, on December 10.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left), pictured with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, was also at the EU summit
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, (right), pictured with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, was also at the EU summit that Mr. Macron attended (left)

The brief statement did not give details of the symptoms the French president suffers from.

“He will continue working and take care of his activities from a distance,” she added.

Her office said his wife Brigitte, 67, is self-isolating, though she does not show anything Covid-19 Symptoms.

Macron was due to visit Lebanon next week, on December 22nd. A spokeswoman said the flight is now canceled.

It was not immediately clear what efforts to track down contacts were underway, but palace officials added that he was trying to assess where he might have contracted the virus.

He met with many world leaders and senior officials during the ten days before his test result came out positive Corona Virus.

Mr. Macron welcomes Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to the Elysee Palace as part of the activities marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the OECD Agreement in Paris, France, on December 14th.
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Macron welcomes Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday
Macron with European Council President Charles Michel on Monday
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European Council President Charles Michel (right), like Mister Sanchez, is also isolating himself after attending the same event

Macron met Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday. There was no immediate comment from Portuguese officials.

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But officials in Spain said that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez – who met Macron on Monday – has suspended all public activities and will remain in quarantine until Christmas Eve.

He was among the guests invited to the Elysee Palace as part of the activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) agreement at the beginning of the week.

French President Emmanuel Macron with Angel Gurria
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Angel Gurria was also a guest at OECD anniversaries

They included the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

An EU spokesman said Michel was also in self-isolation after Macron’s positive test. There was no immediate response from Mr. Gurria’s office.

The French president was among the leaders and delegates of the European Union at a meeting of European Council heads of state last weekend in Brussels, Belgium, between 10-11 December.

Among the attendees were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, President of the European Parliament David Sassoli and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Only two leaders attended the summit, Estonian Prime Minister Yuri Ratas and Andrej Plenkovic of Croatia.

French President Emmanuel Macron receives Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Elysee Palace in Paris during his official visit to France.
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French President Emmanuel Macron receives Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Elysee Palace in Paris during his official visit to France last week.

The diagnosis also comes nine days after the official visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Paris.

During the two-day trip, Mr. Macron presented his Egyptian counterpart the Legion of Honor – France’s highest award.

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Mrs. von der Leyen were among the first to wish Macron back in good health.

Mr Johnson tweeted: “Sorry to hear that my friend EmmanuelMacron has tested positive for Coronavirus. We all wish you a speedy recovery.”

Von der Leyen also wished the French president a “speedy recovery.”

“I am completely with you,” she wrote on Twitter, adding: “This epidemic, we will defeat it together. We will continue to work hand in hand to immunize and protect our citizens.”

Gerard Larch, president of the Senate, the Senate of the French Parliament, said that French Prime Minister Jean Castex will also isolate himself after his contact with Macron over the past few days.

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