France sees rise in COVID-19 incidence ahead of Olympics

In the run-up to the Olympic Games in Paris, France is experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases.

World Health Organization representative Margaret Harris provided the information, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

During a briefing in Geneva, she noted that the health system in France has not reported an increased burden on medical facilities.

"Overall, there is increased SARS-CoV-2 activity with 12% positive results in tests and 25% positive results in primary health care centres," Harris added.

Nevertheless, Olympic officials have downplayed fears of a COVID-19 cluster at the Paris Games after the Australian water polo team reported that two players had tested positive and were isolated.

The Australian team stated that the first athlete to test positive chose not to train with her teammates on Tuesday afternoon, and a second player, who was in close contact, also later tested positive.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were delayed by a year and held largely without spectators, but Paris 2024 will be the first post-pandemic Summer Olympics. While there is no obligation to wear a mask, anyone with symptoms is being asked to stay at home or at their hotel to avoid spreading the disease.

“I need to emphasize that we are treating COVID no differently than other bugs like the flu. This is not Tokyo,” Australia’s Olympic team chief Anna Meares told a press conference on Tuesday.

“It was late last night when she presented with symptoms, and the good thing is that having our own testing equipment means that we can get that information really, really quickly and intervene both in diagnosis and treatment,” Meares added.

The opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics takes place on July 26, with hundreds of thousands of spectators expected to line the Seine in the city.

France’s health minister, Frederic Valletoux, said there has only been a small increase in COVID-19 cases in the country ahead of the Olympics.

“Of course, COVID is here. We’ve seen a small peak,” he said. “But we are far from what we saw in 2020, 2021, 2022.