The Olympic Games and the health system, the heatwave warning, the persistence of Covid… Frédéric Valletoux’s “8h30 franceinfo”

The resigning Minister Delegate for Health was the guest of “8h30 franceinfo” on Sunday August 11.

Frédéric Valletoux, the resigning Minister Delegate for Health, was the guest of franceinfo on August 11 on the occasion of the last day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The health system during these Olympic Games, the heatwave alert, the persistence of Covid… He answered questions from Agathe Mahuet and Bérengère Bonte.

Olympic Games: “50,000 visits to emergency rooms per day”

The 2024 Paris Olympics “had very low pressure on the sanitary apparatus”says Frédéric Valletoux, the resigning Minister Delegate for Health and Prevention. “The entire health support system worked very well”, “it was not overused”, he specifies.

“There are approximately 50,000 visits to emergency rooms every day, all over France, and two days ago there were 31 visits by people linked to the Olympic Games.”details the resigning minister. Visits to the emergency room for “the whole range of what can happen to people who, in their millions, come to a country to watch the Olympic Games.”

Frédéric Valletoux points out that in Île-de-France, twelve hospitals are mobilized alongside the AP-HP, as well as 80 services, within the AP-HP, which are operating “at full strength” during the Olympic Games. “We faced it, we had worked a lot on the subject”the minister emphasizes.

Heatwave during marathons: “No major problems”

For the first time in Olympic history, a marathon “for all” was organized during the Games. The race, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, took place in scorching temperatures. However, “It went wellbelieves Frédéric Valletoux. I have not had any reports of major problems, other than the usual problems of managing minor heat strokes.”

Covid during the Olympics: “Around forty athletes affected”

“We have around forty athletes affected by Covid at the Games. But there is no systematic screening”the minister said. “We must not delude ourselves, but Covid is still here (…) it represents 1% of emergency care.”

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