French and Spanish PMS isolating as Macron tests positive for Covid
French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for Covid-19 after a week of meeting numerous European leaders.
The French and Spanish prime ministers are among those self-isolating because they had recent contact with him.
Mr Mac ron took a test" as soon as the first symptoms appeared" and wills el f-i solate for seven days, the presidency said in a brief statement.
It did not detail what symp - tom sMrM ac ron exp erienc ed or any treatment he might be receiving.
The 42-year- old president "will continue to work and take care of his activities at a distance ", the statement added.
His wife, B rig it te ,67, will also self-isolate but has no symptoms and tested nega - tive on Tuesday ahead of a visit to a Paris hospital, her office said.
Mr Mac ron attended a European Union summit at the end of last week when he had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
It is not immediately clear what contact tracing efforts were in progress.
EU leaders met in person on December 10-11, for the first time since October.
The media was generally kept away from the summit venue in Brussels but TV images showed the leaders wearing masks, generally keeping good distancing-preferring elbow bumps to the usual handshakes, kisses and hugs-and occasionally using hand gel dispensers in the room.
"During the European Council of Thursday 10 and Friday December 11, all sanitary measures were observed and we have not been informed of any other participant or staff present during the summit who tested positive ," an EU official said.
Mr Mac ron had lunch on Wednesday with Portugal' s Prime Minister Antonio Costa. There was no immediate comment from Portuguese
officials. The Spanish government has announced Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who met Mr Macron in Paris on Monday, will place himself in quarantine until December 24.
Mr Sanchez informed Spain' s King Felipe VI of the decision and cancelled an appearance at Spain' s National Library on Thursday.
Mr Mac ron also held the
government' s weekly Ca binet meeting on Wednesday.
French Prime Minister Jean Cast ex' so ff ice said he will also self-isolate for sev - en days.
A day earlier, Mr Mac ron had lunch with the heads of political groups at the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament.
The French presidency confirmed Mr Macron' s trip to Lebanon scheduled for next week is being cancelled.
EU Commission President Ursula von d er Le yen, who attended last week's EU summit, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson both wished Macron a speedy recover y on Twitter.
Mr Johnson said :" Sorry to hear my friend@ Em manuel mac ron has tested positive for corona virus. We are all wishing you a speedy recover y."