Dozens fall ill after French National Day reception in Armenia UPDATED

The French Embassy in Armenia has confirmed that several guests reported symptoms of food poisoning following a Bastille Day reception held on July 14, according to an official statement.

“Guests who attended the reception at the French Embassy on the occasion of the National Day on July 14, 2026, informed us of symptoms of food poisoning,” the embassy said, as per Caliber.Az.

pic.twitter.com/A4Zva1rxOd

— France en Arménie 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@AmbaFR_Armenie) July 18, 2026

The diplomatic mission apologised to those affected and said it had contacted Armenian health authorities to investigate the cause.

“The French Embassy offers its sincere apologies to the affected individuals. It expresses hope that the causes of these symptoms will be identified. In this regard, the Embassy has contacted the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia,” the statement said.

13:55

Dozens of guests fell ill following a Bastille Day reception hosted by the French embassy in Armenia, with many later hospitalised with suspected intestinal infections, Armenian media reported.

The event, held on July 14 to mark France’s national holiday, was attended by senior officials, diplomats and public figures, including Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan.

According to reports cited by Caliber.Az, the reception took place outdoors in hot weather conditions. Within hours of the event, a significant number of attendees began experiencing symptoms consistent with an intestinal infection and sought medical assistance.

Authorities have not yet provided an official explanation for the reported illnesses. It remains unclear how many people were affected or whether food safety issues contributed to the outbreak.

By Tamilla Hasanova