French President Emmanuel Macron has become the latest world leader to catch the coronavirus. His office confirmed on Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was self-isolating for seven days in line with national guidelines.
Macron’s diagnosis was confirmed via a PCR test, the gold standard in COVID testing which relies on nasal or throat swabbing, after he showed unspecified symptoms of the disease.
The statement said he would continue to carryout his duties while in isolation.
Macron had been due to travel to Lebanon next week, but that trip was cancelled. Other in-person meetings on his agenda have been cancelled, postponed or will now be held via phone or video conference.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that he would also self-isolate as a precaution after coming into contact with the president.
French newspaper Le Figaro said Macron’s entourage had assured its reporter earlier this week that the president had taken a COVID test several times since the beginning of the pandemic, but hadn’t tested positive.
Macron’s wife Brigitte was a contact case several months ago and self-isolated, but the couple escaped infection at that time.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first world leader to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis in late March, and President Trump caught the virus at the beginning of October. Both Mr. Trump and Johnson were hospitalized for treatment.
