GENEVA: More than 40 athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19 highlighting a new global rise in cases, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
The WHO said the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic was still circulating and countries need to sharpen up their response systems.
Several high profile athletes have suffered from COVID-19 at the Paris Games.
British swimmer Adam Peaty tested positive a day after winning silver in the 100m breaststroke when he had not felt well, his team said. Australian medal hope Lani Pallister pulled out of the women’s 1500m freestyle after falling ill.
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.”
WHO: Paris Olympics sees 40-plus COVID-19 cases as global figures rise
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WHO: Paris Olympics sees 40-plus COVID-19 cases as global figures rise
- WHO says virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic still circulating and countries need to sharpen up their response systems
- Australian medal hope Lani Pallister pulls out of the women’s 1500m freestyle after falling ill
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
