Paris (France): French President Emmanuel Macron has blamed his COVID-19 on a combination of negligence and bad luck, urging his compatriots to stay safe as critics called out slip-ups in his behaviour to prevent infection, from a close-quarters handshake to repeated big-group meals over the past week.
In what looked like a self-shot video from the presidential retreat in Versailles where he was isolating with symptoms that included headaches, fatigue and a dry cough and cold.
"I am doing well," he said, speaking softly and dressed casually in a turtleneck top. "Normally, there is no reason for it to evolve in a bad way."
The 42-year-old French leader said his infection "shows that the virus really can touch everyone, because I am very protected and am very careful." "Despite everything I caught this virus -- perhaps, doubtless, a moment of negligence, a moment of bad luck, too," he said.
A fellow European leader who spent time with Macron at an EU summit last week, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic, tested positive for the virus on Friday. Some other leaders present at the summit reported testing negative, while some were not getting tested and others haven't yet announced results from their tests.
In France, Macron faced criticism for actions that were seen as setting a bad example as the country sees a new uptick in confirmed cases and doctors warn families to take precautions this holiday season -- especially at the dinner table.
While Macron usually wears a mask and adheres to social distancing rules, and has insisted that his virus strategy is driven by science, the president has been captured on camera in recent days violating France's virus-control guidelines.
He shook hands and half-embraced the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Angel Gurria, at a meeting on Monday. Both were masked, but Macron's office acknowledged Friday the move was a "mistake".
Last week, Macron spent two days in intense negotiations at the EU summit in Brussels with the leaders of the other 26 member countries. Video excerpts released by the EU showed the leaders spread out in a circle in a huge meeting room — Macron, and most of the other leaders, were not masked.
Macron also hosted or took part in multiple large-group meals in the days before testing positive Thursday, including with members of his centrist party and rival politicians, while French people are currently advised to avoid gatherings larger than six people. His office has been contacting those present for the meals, but old some people sitting far from the president that they were not considered at risk.