How Paris Olympics has led to spike in global COVID count

New Delhi: The World Health Organization announced on Tuesday that over 40 athletes at the Paris Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19.

It has led to a fresh rise in global cases with the WHO stating that the virus is still in circulation and countries need to be vigilante as ever to counter it.

Top British swimmer Adam Peaty is the among several high profile athletes who have been contracted with COVID-19 during the ongoing Games.

Peaty grabbed the 100m breaststroke silver medal despite being under the weather and tested positive a day later while Australian swimmer Lani Pallister withdrew from the women’s 1500m freestyle after falling sick.

The WHO said an analysis of data from 84 countries showed percentage of positive COVID cases “has been rising for several weeks”, adding that wastewater surveillance indicates that the virus is circulating “two to 20 times higher than what is currently being reported”.

“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,” the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove said, as quoted by Reuters.

The WHO said that since the COVID virus has been active in other countries so it wasn’t unexpected to find over 40 athletes testing positive.

“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,” van Kerkhove 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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 British swimmer Adam Peaty is the among several high profile athletes who have been contracted with COVID-19 during the ongoing Games.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today