Handshake a mistake, says Macron after catching virus

EMMANUEL Macron has conceded he made a mistake shaking someone’s hand before testing positive for coronavirus.

The 42-year- old French president admitted his error yesterday hours after the Élysée Palace announced he was ill and going into isolation – prompting frantic contact tracing across Europe to find others he may have infected.

He also faced accusations he had broken his own government’s guidelines, which state only six people are allowed to sit down to share a meal.

The president was forced into self-isolation for a week after taking a test “as soon as the first symptoms appeared”, the Élysée Palace said. “This diagnosis was made following a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test performed at the onset of the first symptoms.”

The statement insisted Mr Macron, 42, “will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely”, while aides said he was not seriously ill and would appear on video streams. He will be joined by his wife Brigitte, who at 67 is considered to be in a high-risk category.

There were fears that the president may have infected others, however, after a frantic week during which he appeared to have little interest in social distancing. Mr Macron had visited Brussels for an EU leaders summit last week and hosted working lunches in Paris in the run up to the positive test.

Mr Macron shook hands with Angel Gurria, the head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, who is also now isolating.

Jean Castex, France’s prime minister, said he would also self-isolate after coming into regular contact with his boss. Political party chiefs from the Senate and France’s lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, said they would do the same because they had a lunch with Mr Macron on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Mr Macron was pictured embracing António Costa, the Prime Minister of Portugal, during a meeting at the Élysée Palace. Mr Costa tested negative yesterday but will isolate.

The day before, Mr Macron also dined with Charles Michel, the leader of the European Council who is now isolating, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, as well as the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez. Mr Sánchez said that he was suspending public activities as a precaution against coronavirus, pointing out that his wife had contracted the virus in March. He said he would isolate despite also testing negative yesterday.

Mrs Macron’s office said that she was not showing any symptoms. She had previously self-isolated in October after coming into contact with another carrier.

Mr Macron was at a European Council heads of state meeting in Brussels a week ago, on Dec 10 and 11.

He was pictured hovering around Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, and the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz.

His schedule over the past week included a private dinner with President Abdel Fattah Sisi of Egypt.

Now all of Mr Macron’s trips have been cancelled, including one planned to Lebanon on Dec 22.

His positive Covid-19 test comes only two days after France relaxed measures to curb a second wave of the pandemic, replacing a nationwide lockdown with a curfew. On Wednesday, the French health authorities reported the highest increase in cases since Nov 21.

Boris Johnson, who recovered from the virus earlier this year, sent get-well wishes to Mr Macron in tweets in English and French reading: “Sorry to hear my friend @Emmanuelmacron has tested positive for coronavirus. We are all wishing you a speedy recovery.”

There is little likelihood Mr Macron’s illness could affect Brexit trade talks. Michel Barnier has not seen the French president for a long time, EU officials said, as they confirmed the EU’S chief negotiator would not need to take a test.

EU leaders will be called upon to approve a deal if one is negotiated, but that is expected to be done with a video summit rather than one in person.

British officials said they were not aware of any risk to the talks, but said that they would follow the relevant health advice.