Organisers claim that the Covid-19 cases at the Beijing Olympics are under control
Key takeaways:
- According to a senior pandemic control authority for the Beijing Winter Olympics, the infection scenario is in the "expected controllable range."
- A total of 24 new Covid cases were reported among Games-related personnel on Tuesday, with 16 of them being athletes.
Despite discovering positive Covid-19 cases, the infection scenario at the Beijing Winter Olympics is in the "expected controllable range," according to a senior pandemic control authority for the Games.
Since January 23, at least 200 Covid cases have been reported by the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee between airport arrivals and those in the Games' "closed-loop" bubble, which separates event-related personnel, including athletes, from the general public.
On Tuesday, a total of 24 new Covid cases among Games-related personnel were reported, with 16 of them being athletes. "Imported Covid-19 cases are increasing as more people enter China," said Huang Chun, deputy director-general of the committee's Pandemic Prevention and Control Office.
"(The Covid-19 situation) falls within our expected controllable range.)." As a result, the participants in the Games, including athletes, as well as the Chinese public, do not need to be concerned," Huang said.
He went on to say that the Games' organizers were not planning any major changes to Covid's control policies.
Huang had previously denied media reports that China was planning to tamper with test results to influence athletes. "All of the Covid-19 tests within the closed-loop are PCR tests, which are identified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and also medical experts from home and abroad," Huang said over the weekend, according to the Xinhua news agency.
"Qualified laboratories were chosen for the testing." China's public health authorities have acknowledged them. They use accredited testing reagents and equipment, adhere to strict testing procedures, and also have a comprehensive management system in place to ensure quality and bio-safety," Huang stated.
Meanwhile, the Games' organizers have announced that all of the necessary preparations for the Games, which will occur from February 4 to 20, have been completed, including venue construction, test runs, athletes' warm-up sessions on-site, available facilities in all 3 competitions zones, as well as hotel and medical services.
Athletes and personnel will benefit from facilities such as 5G connections, robots, hydrogen vehicles, and other advanced techniques.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the Chinese mainland reported only 27 new locally transmitted Covid-19 infections, down from 40 the day before.
As per the national health committee on Tuesday, 13 new local cases were reported in Zhejiang province, seven in Tianjin, four in Hebei, two in Beijing, and the other in Guangdong.