European leaders quarantine after Macron tests covid positive

Brussels: The Elysee Palace on Thursday confirmed French president Emmanuel Macron testing positive for covid 19.

A statement said the president "will isolate himself for seven days" but "will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely", Xinhua news agency reported.

European leaders who came in contact with him attending two separate meetings last week are also isolating.

Macron attended a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels last week and an event organised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris on Monday.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who met Macron on Monday during the OECD event, will self-quarantine until December 24, his Office said in a statement on Thursday.

"He will suspend all of his activity scheduled for the coming days in accordance with sanitary protocols," it said, adding that the Prime Minister would also "undertake a diagnostic test to know his situation and then depending on the results, to decide his agenda for the coming days".

European Council President Charles Michel, who had lunch with Macron on Monday, went into self-quarantine on Thursday, the top EU official's spokesman Barend Leyts said.

Michel's is a precautionary step, because he is not thought to have come in close contact with Macron, and he tested negative on Tuesday during a routine test, Leyts added.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said on Thursday that he was also quarantining.

"My thoughts are with President Emmanuel Macron for a speedy recovery," Gurria said on Twitter.

"In light of his involvement in the OECD's 60th anniversary on Monday and following medical protocols, I am quarantining and testing.

"All relevant steps are being taken to safeguard the wellbeing of guests and staff," he added.

Meanwhile, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has been in self-quarantine following close contact with Macron.

Although Costa tested negative on Thursday, he will remain in "preventive prophylactic isolation" and undergo another test in the next few days, according to a statement from his office.

"The Prime Minister maintains all executive activity and the non-face-to-face work agenda," said the statement.

Following his diagnosis, Macron joined a list of world leaders who tested positive for the virus, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (March), Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (June), Bolivia's former interim President Jeanine Anez (June), Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez (July), Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei (September) and US President Donald Trump (October).

IANS report with edits