Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic is the latest leader to catch COVID-19, a week after attending a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron who went on to test positive for the disease.

There is now a long list of heads of state and government to get the virus including U.S. President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro.

There have also been former heads of state such as ex-Italian president Silvio Berlusconi and members of royal families such as Prince Charles, next in line to the UK throne, who have had the virus.

Matovic, 47, posted a message, on December 18, showing his positive test and an order to observe 10 days of isolation on Facebook, but did not say where he had been infected or whether he had symptoms.

The announcement the previous day that Macron had tested positive for COVID-19 prompted a track-and-trace effort across Europe following numerous meetings between the French leader and European Union heads of government, some of whom decided to self-isolate.

Meeting and greeting means heads of state are always prone to picking up the virus but there is still the debate over whether they have been unlucky or careless?

Some leaders have dismissed the danger from coronavirus to differing degrees and then picked it up, such as Bolsonaro or Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. 

France President Emmanuel Macron

France's President Emmanuel Macron blamed negligence and bad luck for catching the virus which was announced on Thursday, December 17.

In a video from Versailles, where he was self-isolating, he said that he was "doing well," and promised to be "totally transparent" about his illness.

His symptoms included a headache, tiredness and a dry cough.

Critics pointed to the way that he was shaking hands and had large-group meals that could have led him to catch coronavirus.

"(It) shows that the virus really can touch everyone because I am very protected and am very careful," he said. "Despite everything I caught this virus – perhaps, doubtless, a moment of negligence, a moment of bad luck too."

Moldova Prime Minister Ion Chicu

Moldova's Prime Minister Ion Chicu caught the virus in early December but continued to work remotely.

Chichu's adviser Boris Harea announced the news via Facebook on December 8, adding that "the prime minister will run the government remotely."

The country's leader had a working meeting with outgoing President Igor Dodon and parliamentary speaker Zinaida Greceanii on Monday, the day before the news broke that he had tested positive. 

Moldova re-entered a state of emergency on November 30 in an effort to tackle an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

Andrej Plenković, Croatia's prime minister

Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was already in isolation when he tested positive for the virus on November 30 because his wife had tested positive for COVID-19 the previous weekend.

Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria's prime minister 

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had already been in isolation when he announced he had contracted COVID-19 on October 25, after a deputy minister had tested positive a day earlier. 

Andrzej Duda, Poland's president 

Poland had a surge in cases in October when Andrzej Duda tested positive.

The president went into isolation but said he didn't have any serious symptoms. He was pictured wearing a mask as he met construction workers in Warsaw before the positive test result.

Donald Trump, U.S. president

Donald Trump, 74, tested positive along with his wife Melania Trump in early October. 

The Republican president has given mixed messages about the dangers from the virus and has not been in favor of strong restrictions. He tested positive after an aide and family members picked up the virus but he was not badly affected by it.

Boris Johnson, UK prime minister

Infected in March, Boris Johnson was one of the first leaders to get COVID-19 and one of the worst affected, as he needed treatment on an intensive care ward. 

He received criticism for having downplayed the danger of the virus beforehand and not taking restrictions seriously enough. He had been seen shaking hands while carrying out his duties and did not put in place as strong a lockdown as those other European countries.

Michel Barnier, the European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the UK

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator tested positive in March and was the first senior Brussels policymaker to get the virus. He followed quarantine rules and said he was in "good spirits" as he overcame the virus at home.

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's president

Brazil's leader picked up the virus in July after refusing a lockdown in the country and choosing not to socially distance. He attended political campaigns and demonstrations where he voiced the dangers to the economy of shutdowns.

Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus president

The Belarus strongman was asymptomatic when he picked up the virus in July. He has refused lockdowns in the country and said people should fight it with vodka and saunas.

Avdullah Hoti, Kosovo

The Kosovan leader tested positive for the coronavirus just two weeks after taking over on August 2 and self isolated with a mild cough.

He took office following a vote of no confidence in previous leader Albin Kurti, who had refused to declare a state of emergency over the pandemic.

Mikhail Mishustin, Russia's prime minister

Russia's prime minister got coronavirus during April when the virus was peaking in the country. He tested positive along with several other cabinet members and President Vladimir Putin's spokesman. Russian authorities at the time were saying they had the virus under control.

Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia's prime minister

The 45-year-old got coronavirus at the start of June along with other members of his family.

He wrote on Facebook that he thought he got it from a gloveless waiter at a restaurant.

Prince Charles, heir to the UK throne

The next in line to the British throne self-isolated in Scotland after getting coronavirus in March. He only suffered mild symptoms and said: "I got away with it quite lightly."

Albert II, prince of Monaco

Albert, 62, was the first reigning monarch to test positive on March 19. He worked from home without serious symptoms and recovered after two weeks.

Jeanine Anez, Bolivia's interim president 

The 53-year-old interim Bolivian president picked up the coronavirus as it swept through the country in July but she showed no symptoms.

Bolivia has suffered one of the highest death tolls proportionate to population size in the world from COVID-19.

Juan Orlando Hernandez, Honduras president

The Honduras leader, 51, tested positive in June along with his wife. He was hospitalized with pneumonia but was able to carry on his duties remotely.

Alejandro Giammattei, Guatemala's president

The Guatemalan leader, 64, was a high-risk patient due to age and he suffers from multiple sclerosis. He tested positive in September but only showed mild symptoms and was able to continue working from home.

Nuno Gomes Nabiam, Guinea-Bissau prime minister

The Guinea-Bissau leader tested positive for the coronavirus along with three members of his cabinet but recovered after going into quarantine.

Pranab Mukherjee, former president of India

The president of India from 2012 to 2017, Pranab Mukherjee had underlying health problems when he succumbed to COVID-19 on August 31. 

The 84-year-old had a positive test ahead of surgery to remove blood clot in the brain and died three weeks later.

Silvio Berlusconi, former Italy prime minister

The former prime minister and media mogul, 83, tested positive at the start of September and needed hospital treatment for 10 days before recovering.