The World Health Organization announced on Tuesday that more than 40 athletes competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have tested positive for Covid-19, indicating a recent increase in cases worldwide. As per the World Health Organization, the virus responsible for the Covid-19 epidemic is still active and requires countries to enhance their response mechanisms.
A number of well-known athletes experienced Covid-19 at the Paris Games. A day after taking home the silver in the 100-meter breaststroke, British swimmer Adam Peaty tested positive, according to his team, claiming he had not been well. Lani Pallister, an Australian hopeful for a gold in the 1500m freestyle, withdrew because to illness.
Data from 84 countries shows that the percentage of positive tests for SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes Covid-19 disease — “has been rising for several weeks”, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director.
Furthermore, wastewater surveillance — which tends to give a two-to-three-week advance indication on case numbers — suggests that circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is “two to 20 times higher than what is currently being reported”, she told a media briefing.
“This is significant because the virus continues to evolve and change, which puts us all at risk of a potentially more severe virus that could evade our detection and/or our medical interventions, including vaccination.”
Van Kerkhove said the high circulation was not typical for respiratory viruses that tend to increase in circulation in the colder months.
However, “in recent months, regardless of season, many countries have experienced surges of Covid-19, including at the Olympics, currently, where at least 40 athletes have tested positive,” she said.
“It’s not surprising to see athletes being infected, because as I said before, the virus is circulating quite rampantly in other countries.”
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Source: NDTV
