The Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP) will welcome millions of visitors this summer. This unifying event also presents public health challenges that require heightened vigilance, particularly in the Île-de-France region and in the regions hosting the competitions. As a result, Santé publique France is fully mobilized to implement enhanced health monitoring and epidemiological surveillance measures, raise awareness and prevent risks to public health, and be prepared to issue alerts and provide an operational response by mobilizing strategic stockpiles of health products or the public health reserve. From July 8 through September 15, in collaboration with its partners, Santé publique France will deploy its standard summer season measures nationwide, supplemented by information reports from pre-hospital responders (emergency medical services, firefighters, first responders) and international monitoring of infectious risks.

Mapping Potential Health Risks

Any large gathering of people can lead to increased health risks. Officials at Santé publique France, in collaboration with their international counterparts and partners, have identified potential health events that could occur during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The agency has therefore developed a risk map based on:

• scientific literature documenting health events associated with large gatherings,

• the local, national, and international epidemiological situation regarding various infectious diseases,

• environmental conditions.

These risks were prioritized based on their severity and likelihood of occurrence during the summer, taking into account anticipated population flows. Among the main risks identified are:

• infectious risks: outbreaks of foodborne illness, arboviruses, measles…

• natural and environmental risks: heat waves, air or water pollution, floods;

• trauma, particularly that related to crowd movements.

Our previous experience in monitoring large gatherings (the Rouen Armada, COP21, the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship, etc.) as well as lessons learned from the 2012 London Olympics have demonstrated the importance of having responsive monitoring systems capable of providing daily updates.

New surveillance systems deployed for the 2024 Olympic Games

Santé publique France is upgrading its surveillance and alert system in collaboration with its partners. New measures will be implemented to complement existing ones and strengthen the ability to detect any unusual events that impact public health and limit health risks across France:

• international surveillance of infectious disease signals, supported by the ECDC;

• a surveillance system based on SAMU data that will track the volume of calls for all causes and the care provided by SAMU in connection with the 2024 Olympic Games;

• non-specific surveillance conducted in partnership with the Paris Fire Brigade (BSPP). This will enable the collection of data on the care of victims in Paris and the inner suburbs (departments 92, 93, and 94) for various clinical presentations (trauma, respiratory difficulties, vomiting and/or diarrhea, chest pain, alcohol or illicit substance use, general symptoms, drowning, etc.);

• non-specific monitoring carried out in collaboration with the main first-aid associations (pre-planned emergency response systems) around competition venues and at certain festival sites in the Île-de-France region, which, like the BSPP initiative, will enable tracking of victim care for similar clinical presentations.

The deployment of routine and seasonal surveillance systems

Surveillance is at the heart of Santé publique France’s work. Throughout the year, it relies on robust routine systems, some of which are capable of providing daily data updates, such as:

• The SurSaUD® (SURveillance SAnitaire des Urgences et des Décès) syndromic surveillance system, which identifies unexpected events in near real time within data from hospital emergency departments, SOS Médecins associations, or mortality records, and assesses the impact (or lack thereof) of a potential threat on healthcare utilization and public health. As a management support tool, it contributes in particular to the rapid implementation of public health measures.

• The surveillance system for notifiable diseases (MDO) to comprehensively identify and describe cases of 38 infectious diseases. In the context of the Olympic Games, the aim is to detect as early as possible any situation likely to develop into a cluster or an epidemic in order to implement control and prevention measures.

• Microbiological surveillance systems led by the National Reference Centers (NRCs) to provide expertise, advice, and support for epidemiological surveillance and alerts. Twenty NRCs covering the infectious agents identified during risk mapping will contribute to surveillance.

• Surveillance systems based on networks of laboratories (3Labos), physicians (Sentinelle Network), and volunteer hospital departments (pediatric nephrology and pediatrics departments), capable of generating signals and alerts.

• The Emergen Consortium as part of the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 to identify emerging variants within the region.

• The SUM’EAU system to detect the presence (or absence) of the virus in wastewater and track trends in the detection of the COVID-19 virus within a given region.

Seasonal surveillance systems are also activated:

• The Heat Wave and Health Alert System (SACS), led by Santé publique France, whose objective is to anticipate heat waves likely to have a major health impact and to enable the rapid implementation of prevention and management measures. It is operational every year between June 1 and September 15 and is triggered as soon as at least one department is placed under an orange alert.

• Monitoring of drownings in France, from June 1 to September 30, coordinated by Santé publique France and the National System for Monitoring Water Safety (SNOSAN). It collects and analyzes data on drownings, whether or not they result in death.

• Surveillance of arboviral diseases (dengue, chikungunya, and Zika) is based on mandatory reporting of all biologically confirmed cases. This surveillance is intensified from May 1 to November 30 throughout mainland France to enable rapid intervention by public mosquito control agencies.

Santé publique France and the Olympic Games: Where to Find Information?

A section dedicated to the Agency’s activities during the Olympic Games will be available on the homepage of the Santé publique France website starting June 20. It provides access to all the latest news, weekly bulletins, prevention tools, and an FAQ for healthcare professionals.