AP

French President Macron tests positive for COVID-19

Dec 17, 2020, 5:19 AM | Updated: 5:27 am

French President Emmanuel Macron reacts as he meets Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Wednes...

French President Emmanuel Macron reacts as he meets Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020 in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19, the presidential Elysee Palace announced on Thursday. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

(AP Photo/Francois Mori)

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday, following a week when he has met with numerous European leaders. The French and Spanish prime ministers are among those self-isolating because they had recent contact with him.

Macron took a test “as soon as the first symptoms appeared” and will self-isolate for seven days, the presidency said in a brief statement. It did not detail what symptoms Macron experienced 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, Brigitte, 67, will also self-isolate but has no symptoms and tested negative on Tuesday ahead of a visit to a Paris hospital, her office said.

Macron attended a European Union summit at the end of last week, where he notably had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It was not immediately clear what contact tracing efforts were in progress.

EU leaders met in person on Dec 10-11, for the first time since October. The media has been kept away from the summit venue in Brussels, but television 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.


World leaders who have caught COVID-19


“During the European Council of Thursday 10 and Friday 11 December all sanitary measures were observed and we have not been informed of any other participant or staff present during the summit who tested positive,” said an EU official, who was not allowed to be identified publicly.

Macron had lunch on Wednesday with the prime minister of Portugal. There was no immediate comment from Portuguese officials.

The Spanish government, however, announced that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who met Macron in Paris on Monday, will place himself in quarantine until Dec. 24. Sánchez informed Spain´s King Felipe VI of the decision and canceled a Thursday appearance at Spain´s National Library.

Macron also held the government’s weekly Cabinet meeting Wednesday. French Prime Minister Jean Castex’s office said that he will also self-isolate for seven days. A day earlier, Macron had lunch with the heads of political groups at the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament.

The French presidency confirmed that Macron’s trip to Lebanon scheduled for next week is being canceled.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who attended last week’s EU summit, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson both wished Macron a speedy recovery on Twitter.

Macron and other government officials repeatedly say that they are sticking to strict sanitary protocols during the pandemic, including not shaking hands, wearing a mask and keeping distance from other people.

For several months, masks have been required in all indoor public places in France and everywhere outdoors in big cities. Macron wears one at all public events though usually removes it to give speeches or at press conferences where he is a safe distance from others.

Macron has always been an active president who travels frequently. He has scaled down his activities somewhat this year but continued holding in-person meetings in Paris, other cities in France and in Brussels during France’s second virus lockdown that started in October.

The lockdown, which was lifted partially Tuesday, allowed people to go to school and work but limited travel for most French people and required all restaurants, tourist sites and most other public places to close.

The French president is following national health authorities’ recommendations that since September have reduced the self-isolation time from 14 days to seven. Authorities said at the time that this is the period when there is the greatest risk of contagion and that reducing it allows better enforcement of the measure.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends to isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms first appear.

Since the pandemic first surfaced in Europe in February, EU leaders have held several summits via videoconference. Many, though, have complained about the lack of privacy attached to video calls and the impossibility of thoroughly resolving thorny issues, like the stalemate over the EU’s massive long-term budget and recovery fund, which was resolved in person last week.

In October, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin both had to leave the summit after separately being in contact with people who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

A summit planned for September was postponed for a week after EU Council President Charles Michel, who chairs the meetings, went into coronavirus quarantine after one of his security officers tested positive for COVID-19.

____

Elaine Ganley in Paris, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Ciaran Giles in Madrid contributed.


How To Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus

COVID-19 coronaviruses transmitted from person to person. It is a virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:

  • Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.
  • Wear a mask.
  • Don’t touch your face.
  • Keep children and those with compromised immune systems away from someone who is coughing or sneezing (in this instance, at least six feet)
  • If there is an outbreak near you, practice social distancing (stay at home, instead of going to the movies, sports events, or other activities.)
  • Get a flu shot.

Local resources

KSL Coronavirus Q&A

Utah’s Coronavirus Information

Utah State Board of Education

Utah Hospital Association

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707

National Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization

Cases in the United States

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

AP

The steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of the container ship Dali after the br...

Nick Perry

Baltimore bridge collapse puts the highly specialized role of ship’s pilot under the spotlight

The highly specialized role — in which a pilot temporarily takes control of a ship from its regular captain — is coming under the spotlight this week.

1 hour ago

Shopping carts are parked outside a Home Depot in Philadelphia...

MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer

Home Depot buying supplier to professional contractors in a deal valued at about $18.25 billion

Home Depot will buy SRS Distribution, a materials provider for professionals, in a deal valued at approximately $18.25 billion.

2 hours ago

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 4: A view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday morning January 4, 2024 in...

MARK SHERMAN

Supreme Court again confronts the issue of abortion, this time over access to widely used pill

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and cleared the way for bans or severe restrictions on abortion in many Republican-led states, abortion opponents on Tuesday will ask the high court to ratify a ruling from a conservative federal appeals court that would limit access to the medication mifepristone, which was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States last year.

3 days ago

File - The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, USA, Oct. 14, 2022. Instagram has star...

Associated Press

New Instagram feature limits display of political content

Instagram has started an automatic clamp down on the amount of political content appearing in its users' feeds.

3 days ago

ghost army Congressional gold medal ceremony...

JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

Ghost Army members who staged secret WWII battlefield deceptions awarded Congressional Gold Medal

Three of the seven known surviving members attended the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol.

7 days ago

Brigham Young Cougars center Aly Khalifa (50) shoots against the UCF Knights at the Marriott Center...

DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer

BYU’s Aly Khalifa heads into March Madness without food or water while observing Ramadan

It is a fast Khalifa is embarking on willingly, yet one that carries with it unusual challenges during the NCAA Tournament.

8 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

French President Macron tests positive for COVID-19