French President Macron tests positive for COVID-19

French President Emmanuel Macron has tested positive for COVID-19, the presidential Elysee Palace announced on Thursday.

It said the 42-year-old president took a test “as soon as the first symptoms appeared”.

The brief statement did not say what symptoms Macron experienced.

It said he would isolate himself for seven days.

“He will continue to work and take care of his activities at a distance,” it added.

Macron is the latest world leader to become infected with COVID. United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson and United States President Donald Trump have also battled the coronavirus.

In France, since the start of the pandemic, 2.4 million people have had coronavirus, while almost 59,472 have died with the virus.

By comparison, in Italy, Europe’s worst hit country in terms of deaths, 66,537 have died, followed closely by the United Kingdom, with 65,618.

SOURCE : AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES