French President Macron tests positive for COVID-19 as European leaders rush for tests

Agency: French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.

This has prompted a track-and-trace effort across Europe following numerous meetings between the French leader and EU heads of government in recent days.

According to Reuters, Macron is running France remotely and has gone into quarantine at the presidential retreat of La Lanterne close to the Palace of Versailles.

A presidential official described Macron as tired and having a cough. His wife Brigitte tested negative but was also self-isolating.

Macron will cancel all upcoming trips including a December 22 visit to Lebanon where he has led international efforts to resolve a deep-rooted political crisis.

Macron joined all but two of the European Union’s 27 leaders at a summit in Brussels late last week to discuss climate change, the EU budget and Turkey.

The presidential official said it was almost certain Macron was infected at the summit given the timing of his symptoms.