French President Macron tests positive for COVID-19 after exhibiting symptoms

French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday after "the onset of the first symptoms," the Élysée Palace, his official residence, said in a statement. Macron "is still in charge" of running France, the statement said, and he "will self-isolate for seven days" and "continue to work and carry out his activities remotely." It isn't clear how Macron, 42, contracted the coronavirus, but France is trying his contacts. He attended a European Council summit with other EU leaders last week in Brussels.

France, like most of Europe, is experiencing soaring cases of COVID-19. Macron's government imposed an overnight curfew this week to tamp down its outbreak, and Prime Minister Jean Castex was scheduled to introduce France's vaccination plans to the Senate later Thursday. Castex is now self-isolating, and Health Minister Olivier Véran will step in.

Macron is the latest world leader to get COVID-19. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalized due to the coronavirus in April, President Trump was helicoptered to Walter Reed in October, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin have also been infected.

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