Coronavirus: Two marathon events in Paris rescheduled

By Emre Asikci

ANKARA (AA) - After the postponement of Harmonie Mutuelle Semi De Paris 2020 (Paris Half Marathon), French authorities on Friday also delayed the Schneider Electric Marathon De Paris (Paris Marathon) due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The organizers said the race, which was slated for April 5, had been rescheduled for Oct. 18.

The Paris Half Marathon, meanwhile, will take place on Sept. 6.

The decisions came in light of new rules by the French government to cancel “gatherings of more than 5000 people."

"The practical changes concerning these two events will be communicated to the competitors shortly," organizers said in a statement.⠀

The virus, also known as COVID-19, emerged in China’s Wuhan last December, and has since spread to over 80 countries.

The global death toll is past 3,300 with more than 98,000 cases, according to the World Health Organization.

In France alone, 420 cases have been reported with 6 deaths.

The country has announced it would enter the third and final stage on an urgency scale of preparing against and combating the virus.