Olympic Staff Hospitalized After Drinking Virus Infected Water In Pyeongchang
The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang faces their first medical emergency after some staff was hospitalized due to abdominal discomfort.
According to reports, the number of security personnel, from the Olympic staff accommodation, complaining of similar symptoms increased over the past four days.
As of February 5, 36 people were infected and diagnosed with Norovirus. The virus notoriously occurs during the winter and brings on symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and chills within two days of infection.
Those who complained of abdominal pain were temporarily isolated, as the virus can be easily spread and transmitted.
A security official suspected water from the accommodation as the main source.
An official of the organizing committee released this statement about the incident:
“It is estimated to be caused by the failure of the groundwater recycling equipment used for drinking water.”
Another report, however, revealed that the infection started from a cooking staff infected with the virus, which later on spread to the rest of the personnel in the accommodation.
In consultation with the International Olympic Committee, the local government will carry out epidemic prevention for all of the athletes and cooperate in possible control activities such as emergency quarantine measures.
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