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Monaco's Princess Charlene Tests Positive for COVID

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco pose on the red carpet ahead of the 2020 Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health in Monaco September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco pose on the red carpet ahead of the 2020 Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health in Monaco September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
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Monaco's Princess Charlene Tests Positive for COVID

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco pose on the red carpet ahead of the 2020 Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health in Monaco September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco pose on the red carpet ahead of the 2020 Monte-Carlo Gala for Planetary Health in Monaco September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Princess Charlene of Monaco, who had been away from the principality for months due to health issues, has tested positive for COVID-19, the palace said in a statement, as the number of cases in neighboring France begin to rise again.

The 44-year-old former Olympics champion, who married Prince Albert in 2011, returned to Monaco in March as her health improved, the royal palace said at the time. She only recently resumed official duties.

The palace said there were no concerns about her condition and she would isolate according to health protocols.

The positive test comes a day after France's Public Health Authority said it had seen a rebound in cases this week for the first time in months with a 7-day average of about 20,000 daily cases, Reuters reported.

Guillaume Spaccaferri, epidemiologist at the Public Health Authority, told a news conference on Friday the rise in numbers was likely down to a new Omicron variant and the end of all COVID restrictions in the country.

So far, there was not a notable impact on hospitalizations or intensive care units, he said.

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Japan’s Chief Meteorologist Calls Rumors of a July Earthquake a Hoax, Urges People Not to Worry

People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
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Japan’s Chief Meteorologist Calls Rumors of a July Earthquake a Hoax, Urges People Not to Worry

People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)
People watch a 3D video advertisement display with a giant cat's graphics installed in the famed Shinjuku shopping district Friday, June 13, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP)

The head of Japan's meteorological agency on Friday dismissed widespread rumors of a major earthquake in Japan this summer as unscientific and a “hoax," urging people not to worry because even the most advanced science still cannot predict any quake or tsunami.

“At the moment, it is still impossible to predict an earthquake with specific timing, location or its magnitude,” Japan Meteorological Agency Director General Ryoichi Nomura told reporters. “Any such prediction is a hoax, and there is absolutely no need to worry about such disinformation."

Nomura was referring to rumors in Hong Kong and other Asian cities of a major earthquake or a tsunami in July in Japan have led to flight cancellations and reductions in service, affecting tourism.

He said it was “unfortunate” that many people are affected by the disinformation, though he sympathized with the sense of unease that the people tend to develop toward something invisible.

The rumor originates from a 2022 Japanese comic book “The future I saw,” which features a dream foreseeing a tsunami and is also available in Chinese. The chatter began spreading earlier this year through social media, mainly in Hong Kong.

The author previously gained attention for allegedly predicting the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which killed more than 18,000 people.

Japan, which sits on the Pacific “ring of fire,” is one of the world's most quake-prone countries.

Last summer, a panel of seismologists noted a slight increase in the probability of a megaquake on Japan’s Pacific coasts. The government organized an awareness-raising week but only triggered panic buying, beach closures and other overreactions and complaints.

While it is important to inform people about the science, Nomura said, it is also necessary for everyone in this quake-prone country to take early precautions.

“In Japan, an earthquake can occur anytime, anywhere,” Nomura said. “So I ask everyone to take this opportunity to ensure your preparedness for a major quake.”