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PARIS. — A host of European leaders and top French officials rushed into isolation yesterday after President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19, upending political agendas across the continent.
The presidential palace released the information in a statement yesterday, adding he had been tested after the “onset of the first symptoms.
A flurry of contact-tracing followed France’s confirmation that Macron had become the latest world leader to contract Covid-19, following the likes of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump.
Macron, 42, was tested after the “onset of the first symptoms” and will now self-isolate for seven days in accordance with national regulations, his office said in a statement.
“He will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely,” the statement said.
The timing is awkward for Macron, who is trying to handle the pandemic crisis in his own country while keeping a close eye on Brexit talks and a host of other international issues.
Officials emphasised he was still working and was taking part in a conference on economic development yesterday.
Macron attended an EU summit in Brussels last week and on Monday went to a conference in Paris organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
European Council president Charles Michel and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez were both at the Paris conference and are isolating.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has also gone into self-isolation and cancelled all immediate events on his agenda after having lunch with Macron on Wednesday.
Macron has cancelled a scheduled trip to Lebanon, where he had been pressing for far-reaching political change after a giant explosion at Beirut’s port in August.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel began isolating yesterday pending a test result after he had attended the EU summit last week.
But a German government spokeswoman said Chancellor Angela Merkel took a test a few days after the EU summit and it was negative.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex will self-isolate after contact with Macron, his office said, adding that he was showing no symptoms and had tested negative. – France24.
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