At least 40 athletes competing in the Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19, but the situation is not surprising given the rise in cases worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
“It’s not surprising to see athletes infected, because the virus is circulating quite rapidly in other countries,” said Dr.D Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s head of epidemic and pandemic preparedness, at a press briefing in Geneva.
” These last months, […] Many countries have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, including at the Olympics, where at least 40 athletes tested positive,” she said.
After the Tokyo Olympics (2020) without spectators and those of Beijing (2022) under a strict health bubble, the 2024 Olympics have not escaped COVID-19, even if the threat is less.
British swimmer Adam Peaty, for example, tested positive for COVID-19 the day after winning silver in the 100m breaststroke final at the Paris Olympics. Australian swimmer Lani Pallister was unable to compete in the 1500m Olympic heats after testing positive.
The Australian women’s water polo team also reported being affected. And some delegations have stepped up their precautionary measures, such as the French rowing team, whose media meetings ahead of the start of the events were held with the obligation to wear a mask.
The DD Van Kerkhove stressed that the Olympic Committee, in collaboration with the WHO, “looked at all the different approaches that need to be put in place” during mass gatherings such as the Olympics and took “the right steps”.
“We’ve seen a lot of people wearing masks at the Olympics — and I think that’s to account for the circulation of SARS-CoV-2,” the virus that causes COVID-19, she said.
“Still very present”
She stressed that the virus is “still very present” in the world, circulating “in all countries.”
Data collected by WHO through the sentinel surveillance system in 84 countries show that the percentage of positive tests has increased in recent weeks.
This increase has “led to an increase in the number of hospitalizations and deaths in several countries,” said the DD Maria Van Kerkhove.
“Overall, the rate of positive tests is above 10%, but this figure varies from one region to another,” with for example a rate above 20% in Europe, she detailed.
However, wastewater monitoring suggests that virus circulation is “two to 20 times higher than what is currently reported,” she said.
“This is important because the virus continues to evolve, putting us all at risk of more dangerous viruses emerging that could escape our control,” she warned.
She said such high circulation of COVID-19 “is not typical” for this season, as respiratory virus outbreaks tend to spike in cold weather.
WHO is calling on countries to improve surveillance of the virus and for populations to protect themselves, including through vaccination. But Van Kerkhove noted that the current situation remains different from the 2020-2022 period, as the world now has treatments, testing tools and vaccines.
WHO, however, has noted an alarming decline in vaccination coverage over the past two years, particularly among health workers and people over 60. “There is an urgent need to address this situation,” insisted Dr.D Van Kerkhove.