PARIS, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for Covid-19, the presidency said, adding that he would
now self-isolate for the next week.
He is one of several world leaders who have contracted Covid-19, including
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Donald Trump.
Macron was tested Thursday after the “onset of the first symptoms” and will now, in accordance with national regulations, “self isolate for seven days. He will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely,” his office said in a statement.
As result of the diagnosis, a trip next week by 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, his office said.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex will self-isolate after contact with
Macron, his office said.
It said the premier shows no symptoms but will no longer be going to the
French Senate on Thursday to outline his government’s vaccine strategy to
combat Covid-19.
Macron’s wife Brigitte will also be self-isolating but also shows no
symptoms, her office said.
Parliament speaker Richard Ferrand is also self-isolating after contact
with Macron, his office said.
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.
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.
Meanwhile, Europe has become the first region to surpass half a million deaths from the new coronavirus since the pandemic began a year ago.
Europe had registered a total of 500,069 deaths from more than 23 million cases. Latin America and the Caribbean region has reported 477,404 deaths, the United States and Canada 321,287 deaths, Asia 208,149, the Middle East 85,895, and Africa 57,423 deaths. — NNN-AGENCIES
