Breking:French President Emmanuel Macron tests positive for new coronavirus

 Emmanuel Macron, President of France, gave a positive test for COVID-19

French President Emmanuel Macron Covid Possetive

Emmanuel Macron will now "isolate himself for seven days"

The French President will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely

Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, tested positive for the new coronavirus on Thursday. "The president tested positive for COVID-19 today (Thursday)," the French Presidency said in a statement. It was tested after "the first symptoms appeared," the statement said. However, the brief statement showed no symptoms.

Under national regulations in France, Macron will now "isolate himself for seven days". "He will continue to work and carry out his activities remotely," he said. All other meetings will be held via video conference, said the French presidency.

The French president will cancel all of his upcoming trips, including a planned visit to Lebanon after he has been diagnosed with COVID-19, a spokesman for the French presidency told Reuters.

It was not immediately clear what efforts were being made to follow up the contact. The French presidency added that it was trying to assess where it could have contracted the virus. Macron was at the EU summit last weekend, where he had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex confirmed the news. Prime Minister Jean Castex will also self-isolate after contacting Macron in recent days, said Gerard Larcher, chairman of the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament.

Castex is asymptomatic but will no longer go to the French Senate Thursday to outline his government's vaccine strategy against COVID-19, his office said in a statement.

France reported 17,615 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the biggest spike in COVID-19 since November 21. The country is hit by the corona virus pandemic. There were 2,409,062 outbreak cases recorded.

At least 289 people died as of Wednesday, 59,591.

Vaccination for COVID-19 in France:

France wants to start a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 between April and June next year, President Emmanuel Macron said earlier. The initial vaccination campaign will target the most vulnerable and exposed groups by early 2021, followed by a second campaign for the entire population, said Macron. Limited availability of a vaccine until late December or early January likely means mass vaccinations will have to wait, the French president added.