Rows Of European Leaders Who Must Be Quarantined After Macron Test Positive For COVID-19

JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron is reported to have had a fever, fatigue and cough. Macron had previously tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, December 17. This has an impact on the leaders in European countries. They had to be quarantined following the news about Macron.

Macron will self-isolate for a week. The 42-year-old French leader has traveled from Paris to his residence in Versailles for a seven-day quarantine.

Meanwhile, First Lady Brigitte Macron, who is 67 years old, remains at the Élysée Palace in Paris. He has been under quarantine even though he is not showing symptoms.

"(Macron) is isolated but able to continue working," said a spokesman for the Élysée Palace.

The spokesman added the president had received messages of support from leaders around the world. Macron also received a phone call from US President Donald Trump, who has also been stricken with COVID-19.

Quoting CNN, Friday, December 18, Macron's positive diagnosis of COVID-19 had an impact on the political sphere of France and Europe. Many political figures are now required to carry out quarantine.

French Prime Minister (PM) Jean Castex is also undergoing quarantine despite test results showing he is negative for COVID-19. National Assembly President Richard Ferrand is also in quarantine for seven days.

Macron's trip to Lebanon scheduled for next week has also been canceled. In recent years Macron has held meetings with a number of top European leaders.

Some of them announced they would go into quarantine after Macron's diagnosis. Portuguese PM Antonio Costa, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, European Council President Charles Michel and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said they would be quarantined as a measure to prevent transmission.

Gurria said it was in quarantine and had been tested for COVID-19. He added that all relevant steps have been taken to safeguard the well-being of guests and staff at OECD events.

Meanwhile, the Spanish PM has carried out a COVID-19 test. The results are negative. However, he will remain in quarantine until December 24.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin is the same. He also tested negative for COVID-19. Martin had announced earlier that he was "restricting his movements" after attending a Council of Europe meeting.

Macron is the latest world leader to test positive for COVID-19. US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, France's top ally, were both hospitalized after contracting the virus at the start of the pandemic.

France reported 17,615 new COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, December 16. That figure is the highest since November 21. The country also reported 289 deaths as of Wednesday, bringing it to a total of 59,361 deaths from COVID-19.

French television also showed footage of artists and cultural workers protesting across the country after theaters, museums and cinemas did not reopen as planned. The three places instead found an additional three weeks to stay closed.