Virus has Aussies on alert

AUSTRALIAN athletes have so far been given a clean bill of health in PyeongChang after a norovirus caused major problems for Korean workers at the Winter Olympics.

Thirty-two staff at the Games have been isolated because of the outbreak, which causes headaches, stomach pains and diarrhoea.

About 1200 people working security were being kept in their rooms while being tested for norovirus.

South Korean authorities didn’t hold back in covering the staff losses — which included 21 people from the civil security unit — deploying around 900 military personnel to the Games.

But Australian chef de mission Ian Chesterman said the team had been unaffected by the outbreak at this point with no athletes displaying any signs of illness.

He said Australian team doctor Peter Braun described the response by the South Koreans as “phenomenal”.

“Norovirus is not new to anybody,” he said of the virus that is common in cloistered environments such as cruise ships. “There are plans in place to deal with it. The organising committee’s response has been absolutely first-class in this situation.

“We know that the Olympic village — the area that we most want to protect — has a very good plan around disease control and we also know over and above that the Australian team has its own high-level plan to ensure that our athletes remain safe and happy in order to compete.”

Chesterman said the Australian team was on “high alert” and emphasised thor- ough hygiene habits to help ensure the disease did not enter into the village.

“[But] everyone is fit and healthy, which I am really pleased about,” he said.

Notices have been posted around the Olympics urging regular, 30-second handwashing sessions and the thorough boiling of water and washing of fruits and vegetables, among other precautions.

The virus spread appears to feed a lingering South Korean sense of worry that the Games will be filled with glitches and mistakes.

They fear that instead of putting on the best Games possible, there will be too much focus by the liberal national government on efforts to engage rival North Korea and cater to its visiting athletes and cheering squads.

Despite the response, South Koreans have criticised the allegedly poor preparations at the Olympics, and what they believe was a slow reaction to initial reports of the virus.