French President Macron who tested positive for Covid-19 after showing symptoms and is self-isolating has conceded he made a mistake in shaking someone’s hand as frantic contact tracing beings
French President Emmanuel Macron - who is self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus - has conceded that he made a mistake in shaking someone's hand.
The 42-year-old head of state admitted his error on Thursday, hours after the Élysée Palace announced he was ill and going into isolation – prompting frantic contact tracing across Europe to try and find others he may have infected.
There were fears that the President may have infected others, however, after a week during which Mr Macron appeared to have little interest in social distancing.
There were also accusations that President Macron had broken his own government's guidelines over six people being allowed to sit down to share a meal.
The president took a test 'as soon as the first symptoms appeared,' the Elysee Palace said in a brief statement on Thursday morning. An official added later that he was experiencing 'light symptoms' which he had started to feel late Wednesday.
TODAY: French President Emmanuel Macron is seen on a screen wearing a face mask and giving the thumbs up to the camera after he tested for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating
'This diagnosis was made following a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test performed at the onset of the first symptoms.'
The statement insisted that Mr Macron 'will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely,' while aides said he was not seriously ill and would appear regularly on video streams.
Mr Macron, who joins Britain's Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump in a growing list of world leaders who have contracted Covid-19, will isolate for seven days but plans to continue running the country via video conference.
Prime Minister Johnson, who has not met Mr Macron face-to-face for months and been snubbed on Brexit negotiations, wished his 'friend' a swift recovery.
Frantic contact tracing is now afoot with the president having been centre stage in Brexit negotiations. Only yesterday, he was pictured embracing the Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa in Paris.
Mr Costa is in self isolation, as is Mr Macron's wife Brigitte, 67, and Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez and President of the European Council Charles Michel who both met the French leader on Monday.
WEDNESDAY: French President Emmanuel Macron with Prime Minister Of Portugal Antonio Costa, 59, at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday
MONDAY: Macron (second from left) meets with dignitaries for a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: European Council President Charles Michel, Secretary General Angel Gurria, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, and UNESCO general director Audrey Azoulay
MONDAY: French President Emmanuel Macron pats Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on the back as he arrives for work at the palace on Monday
MONDAY: Macron shakes hands and holds 70-year-old Angel Gurria, the Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, on Monday at the palace
Mr Macron was also pictured shaking hands with Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development chief Angel Gurria in the Elysee palace courtyard, and also embracing the 70-year-old, who has since gone into isolation.
This was despite Mr Macron Tweeting on July 12: 'You know them, they save lives: barrier gestures are not an option!'
These 'barrier gestures' include avoiding handshakes, hugs and kisses, and on Thursday an aide to Mr Macron admitted that Mr Macron made an 'unfortunate' mistake in shaking Mr Gurria's hand, adding: 'There's no denying it.'
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.
French government guidelines are for no more than six people to dine together during the pandemic, but there were as many as 20 people around Mr Macron’s table.
FRIDAY: Macron in a diplomatic scrum with German Chancellor Angela Merkel , uropean Council President Charles Michel and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban
LAST THURSDAY: Macron speaking with the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen amid tense Brexit discussions - the virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10: French President Emmanuel Macron, center, speaks with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, right, during a round table meeting during an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7: Mr Macron with his wife welcoming the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to the palace. Mr Macron's 67-year-old wife Brigitte has also gone into isolation
Boris Johnson, who has been snubbed by Mr Macron on face-to-face Brexit talks, tweeted: 'Sorry to hear my friend @EmmanuelMacron has tested positive for coronavirus. We are all wishing you a speedy recovery.'
Mr Johnson tweeted: 'Sorry to hear my friend @EmmanuelMacron has tested positive for coronavirus. We are all wishing you a speedy recovery.'
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said she was with the French president 'with all my heart'.
MACRON'S CONTACTS
WEDNESDAY:
Embraces 59-year-old PM of Portugal Antonio Costa at Elysee Palace.
MONDAY:
Meets with European Council President Charles Michel, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, OECD chief Angel Gurria, and UNESCO general director Audrey Azoulay.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11:
Macron takes centre stage at EU summit in Brussels - meets with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Mrs Merkel's office said she tested negative after the summit.
Others in attendance included Dutch PM Mark Rutte, Belgian PM Alexander De Croo, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte and European Parliament President David Sassoli.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10:
French president is seen in a diplomatic scrum with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
WHO IS SELF-ISOLATING?
Spanish PM Sanchez, EU Commission President Michel, French PM Jean Castex, Parliament speaker Richard Ferrand and Mr Macron's wife Brigitte.
They have not tested positive.
Virus has incubation period of 14 days, meaning that anyone who came into contact with Mr Macron up to Dec. 3 is advised to get tested and self-isolate.
'We are going to defeat this pandemic together,' she said on Twitter. 'We will continue to work hand in hand to immunise and protect our citizens.'
Mr Macron joined dozens of other European leaders, including Ms von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a summit in Brussels last Thursday and Friday.
Mrs Merkel has since tested negative for Covid, her office said today.
A key aspect of their talks was how to implement a Covid vaccine on the continent - the EU is lagging behind Britain because its central regulatory body must take into account all 27 member states - the bureaucrats have managed to cut down their expedited process of 210 days to fewer than 150.
Also dominating discussions was Brexit and Mr Macron was pictured having tête-à-têtes with President von der Leyen and Mrs Merkel.
He was also seen gesturing in the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's face while standing just a few yards from the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
Others in attendance included Dutch PM Mark Rutte, Belgian PM Alexander De Croo, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte and European Parliament President David Sassoli.
Tactile Mr Macron was frequently pictured touching counterparts at those discussions and on Wednesday the French President took the 59-year-old PM of Portugal Mr Costa in his arms on the steps of the Elysee Palace.
Mr Macron was also pictured welcoming dignitaries with fond clinches at the palace on Monday for a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
In attendance were European Council President Michel, Spanish PM Sanchez, UNESCO general director Audrey Azoulay and OECD chief Angel Gurria.
Today, Prime Ministers Sanchez and Costa, Commission President Michel, French PM Jean Castex and President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand all announced that they will be self-isolating.
None of them said that they had tested positive.
Mr Macron's wife Brigitte has gone into isolation for the second time - she quarantined in October after coming into contact with someone who tested positive.
As result of the diagnosis, a trip next week by Mr Macron to Lebanon - where the president had been pressing for far-reaching political change after the giant Beirut port explosion in August - has been cancelled.
France recorded more than 17,000 new cases on Wednesday - sparking concern as people shop and travel more ahead of the Christmas holidays
The virus has resurfaced in France - as across the rest of Europe - and there are grave fears that deaths could spike in the colder winter months
Mr Macron held the government's weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday and the day before had lunch with the heads of political groups at the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament.
The virus has an incubation period of 14 days, meaning that anyone who came into contact with Mr Macron up to December 3 would be advised to either get tested or self-isolate.
A theory as to how Mr Macron may have caught the virus has not yet been advanced.
The French president is one of several heads of state and government around the world who have contracted Covid-19, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump.
Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron leave after an homage ceremony to WWII fighter and 'Compagnon de la Liberation' Daniel Cordier, in Paris, November 26
Brigitte Macron gives a dictation to school children in support for the European Leukodystrophy Association , at a school Le Chesnay, near Versailles on October 12
Macron and his wife Brigitte talk to volunteers of the association uvres de Secours aux Enfants , which takes care of sick and disabled children, in Paris, on October 6
France earlier this week eased restrictions imposed to battle the second wave of the coronavirus but infection rates remain high.
There is still a nationwide overnight curfew from 8 pm to halt the spread of the virus while restaurants and cafes as well as theatres and cinemas remain closed.
Over 59,300 people have died in France of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to official figures.
The recording of over 17,000 new cases on Wednesday alone has also generated concern as people shop and travel more intensely ahead of the Christmas holidays.
MONDAY: Macron speaks to Louise Ekland on stage during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 draw at Palais Brongniart
French Prime Minister Jean Castex and French President Emmanuel Macron last month. Mr Castex is also self-isolating
Like other EU states, France is pinning its hopes on a vaccine to quell the virus and Castex said Wednesday the country will receive around 1.16 million Covid-19 vaccine doses by year end.
Castex said that the start of the vaccine campaign was conditional on approval from the European Medicines Agency, expected on December 21.
'It is only at the end of spring that we will open the vaccination programme to the entire population', he added.
Another problem for the French authorities is that according to an opinion poll, only 53 percent of people want to be vaccinated, among the lowest rates in the world.
World leaders who caught Covid
Donald Trump
The US president, who famously referred to the virus as a hoax, caught the disease at the height of the presidential campaign in October.
The 74-year-old was admitted to hospital but made a rapid recovery to get back out on the campaign trail.
Jair Bolsonaro
The 65-year-old Brazilian president had played down the seriousness of the virus, calling it a 'little flu, but caught the disease in July.
During his quarantine, Mr Bolsonaro said: 'I knew I was going to catch it someday, as I think unfortunately nearly everyone here is going to catch it eventually. What are you afraid of? Face up to it.'
Boris Johnson
The British Prime Minister, 56, was among world leaders the worst afflicted by coronavirus.
Mr Johnson was rushed to intensive care in April at the height of the pandemic in Europe.
Such was the severity of his illness that preparations were made should he die.
Prince Albert II of Monaco
The 62-year-old head of state caught coronavirus in March and medics gave him the all clear at the start of April.
Mikhail Mishustin
The Russian Prime Minister caught the virus in April. Mishustin, 54, was forced to hand powers over to his colleagues while recovering from the disease.
Ambrose Dlamini
The Prime Minister of Swaziland this week became the first world leader to die of Covid-19, two weeks after he was rushed to hospital in South Africa.
The 52-year-old tested positive for the disease in mid-November but was said to be feeling well and was asymptomatic. But his condition deteriorated and he was taken from the tiny landlocked nation to a hospital in neighbouring South Africa.
Juan Orlando Hernandez
The Honduras president announced in June that he had tested positive, along with two other people who worked closely with him. Hernandez said he had started what he called the 'MAIZ treatment,' an experimental and unproven combination of microdacyn, azithromycin, ivermectin and zinc.
He was briefly hospitalized and released. He has added his voice to growing pleas for equitable access to any COVID-19 vaccine, asking the recent U.N. gathering of world leaders, 'Are people to be left to die?'
Alexander Lukashenko
The president of Belarus, who dismissed concerns about the virus as 'psychosis' and recommended drinking vodka to stay healthy, said in July he had contracted it himself but was asymptomatic.
Alejando Giammattei
The Guatemalan president said he tested positive for the virus in September. 'My symptoms are very mild. Up to now, I have body aches, it hurt more yesterday than today, like a bad cold,' he said during a televised address. 'I don't have a fever, I have a bit of a cough.' He said he'd be working from home.
Jeanine Anez
The virus drove the Bolivian interim president into isolation in July, but she said she was feeling well.
Luis Abinader
The newly elected president of the Dominican Republic contracted and recovered from COVID-19 during his campaign. He spent weeks in isolation before the country's July election.
Nuno Gomes Nabiam
Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau said he tested positive in April.