Paris Olympics 2024 witnesses concerning surge in COVID-19 cases, 40 athletes test positive

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The Paris Olympics 2024 have witnessed a concerning rise in COVID-19 cases, with over 40 athletes testing positive, indicating a global resurgence of the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted this alarming trend on Tuesday, urging countries to reinforce their health response systems, as reported by AFP.

Notably, several prominent athletes have contracted Covid-19 during the Paris Games. British swimmer Adam Peaty, who tested positive the day after securing a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke, is among them. His team revealed that Peaty felt unwell and narrowly missed winning his third consecutive gold by just 0.02 seconds on July 28, reported BBC.

Additionally, Australian medal contender Lani Pallister withdrew from the women's 1500m freestyle due to illness and subsequently self-isolated in her Olympic Village room, as reported by Reuters.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, stated that data from 84 countries indicates a rising trend in positive SARS-CoV-2 tests over several weeks, AFP reported. She highlighted that wastewater surveillance, which typically offers a two- to three-week advance indication of case numbers, shows the virus's circulation is "two to 20 times higher than currently reported," she told AFP during a media briefing.

Van Kerkhove stressed the significance of this trend, noting that the virus's continuous evolution and change pose risks of potentially more severe strains that could evade detection or medical interventions, including vaccines. She pointed out that while respiratory viruses usually increase circulation during colder months, many countries have experienced COVID-19 surges recently, regardless of the season. This pattern includes the current outbreak at the Olympics, where over 40 athletes have tested positive.

In response, the WHO has advised people to ensure they have received a Covid-19 vaccination dose within the last 12 months, particularly those at high risk. It also recommended administering COVID-19 vaccines alongside seasonal influenza vaccines to enhance coverage.