France’s President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the Elysée Palace.
The Elysée Palace announced, in a Thursday statement, that Macron would go now self-isolate for seven days and that he would run the country remotely.
“The President of the Republic has been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 today,” his office said, “This diagnosis was made following a PCR test performed at the onset of the first symptoms.”
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has wished Macron speedy recovery. Al-Sisi asserted Egypt’s support to France efforts in curbing the COVID-19 outbreak. He also emphasised international solidarity in combating the pandemic.
Macron is the third major world leader to contract the virus after US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
France’s total coronavirus cases have exceeded 2.4 million, with 59,361 deaths so far, according to data from Worldometers.
