Coronavirus: No New Cases to-date in the Principality. The Bal de la Rose is Postponed

Neighbouring Countries Accelerate Containment Measures 

More and more countries are making special arrangements and announcing restrictions in order to contain the threat of infection by сoronavirus. And event organizers of some large and prestigious events are carefully considering which events will take place as previously planned and which ones best to reschedule. In Monaco, some events like SIAM Motor Show have already taken place successfully.

Bal de la Rose 

The Principality to-date has experienced only one diagnosed case of сoronavirus, however a cautious approach has been taken and it has been decided to postpone the upcoming Rose Ball (Bal de la Rose) from Saturday, March 21st.

The Bal de la Rose is a symbol of the glamour of the Principality and was created by Princess Grace of Monaco in 1954. It is organized each year in the prestigious Salle des Etoiles of Sporting Monte-Carlo.This exceptional event brings together international high society for an evening and is chaired by HH Prince Sovereign Albert II and HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover. The future date for holding the Ball is currently under consideration.

Italy takes National Measures 

In surrounding countries, containment measures are accelerating. Italy is the most impacted and the Italian Government has put the whole country now under special measures, not just the high risk areas like Milan. Travel restrictions, schools closed, and cancellation of most large gatherings and events are evident. There is a curfew on bars and restaurants after 6pm too. The travel restrictions impact three trips a day of the Italian Othello trains which travel through Monaco and Nice on their way to Marseille. They are suspended until April 3rd.

French train service remains open.

Italian Workers in Monaco

The Principality has agreed with France and Italy that Italians who work in Monaco who travel daily into work from areas that are not high risk like Ventimiglia will continue to do so. They will be supplied with special documents/permits.

There are nearly 4,200 of these transalpine workers who work in Monaco in the private and public sectors. The vast majority of these Italian nationals do come from the Ventimiglia region, an area that has never been identified as a high-risk area. The Alpes-Maritimes prefecture has confirmed that the Franco-Italian borders remain open. Access to French territory is therefore not limited for these workers. The Prince’s Government maintains permanent contact with the Italian and French authorities in order to assess potential developments in the situation.

France Accelerates Containment Measures

France is mandating that large events be postponed – for now those with over a thousand attendees. The Champion League football match between PSG and Dortmund will take place without fans in the stadium. France’s Minister of Culture, Franck Riester has been diagnosed as having the virus.

Alpes Maritimes

The Department Alpes Maritimes in France appears to-date to be less effected by the virus epidemic than other regions with the Nice Hospital Special Unit receiving two more cases, a 41 year old and a 63 year old, for a total to-date of 22 cases. In the single Monegasque case, the youth has recovered well enough to be home.

Spain follows Italy and France paying increasing attention to the сoronavirus. Madrid has just announced closure of schools. Germany is taking stock of the situation.

Call for International Cooperation  

The Economic impact is being felt by the financial markets with sharp corrections this month on stock markets around the world. Businesses in tourism, hotels and restaurants and the airlines are sectors immediately impacted.

There is a call for more and more international cooperation to overcome the effects of сoronavirus.