Australian water polo team in crisis as more players test positive for COVID

One ... then two .... now five.

That’s right, a crisis has engulfed the Australian women’s water polo team with a fifth member testing positive to COVID on the eve of the Paris Olympics.

The Australian Olympic Committee has issued a statement about the health scare, and reminded all athletes of their responsibilities.

“The Water Polo team followed the Australian Olympic Team Respiratory Illness protocols correctly which allowed for early diagnosis and treatment,” the AOC said.

“A reminder has been sent to all teams to reinforce the protocols.

“No other athletes in the Australian Team have been diagnosed with COVID and teams and officials will continue to observe common sense precautions in line with Team protocols.”

Australian chef de mission Anna Meares confirmed the spread to nearly half of the 13-woman squad on Wednesday, a day after two players had initially tested positive to the virus.

The medal chances begin their campaign in Paris on Saturday against China, Meares saying the five athletes would still be allowed to train later on Wednesday if well enough.

“It is confined to the water polo team,” she said, adding all of the women’s squad had been tested.

“There is training again this afternoon and if those five athletes are feeling well enough to train they will.”

She said they would wear masks, isolate and not visit high-volume areas of the village.

Meares initially hosed down the issue on Tuesday after the first player had mild symptoms and tested positive.

A few hours later, however, the Australian Olympic Committee revealed a second player also had tested positive.

“This is a high-performance environment, so we are being diligent, but I need to emphasise we are treating COVID no different to other bugs like the ‘flu - this is not Tokyo,” Meares said earlier.

“What was very positive about this situation and this athlete was that they followed the protocols ... and at the first sign of symptoms they acted responsibly and presented themselves to the medical team to be tested.”

The Australian team has its own medical testing equipment for illnesses such as COVID-19 and the ‘flu.

The French government and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said there was only a moderate increase in COVID cases in the country.

“There is no big risk of a cluster,” Health Minister Frederic Valletoux told broadcaster franceinfo.

“Of course COVID is here. We’ve seen a small peak (in cases), but we are far from what we saw in 2020, 2021, 2022.”

He added that there was no obligation to wear a mask because the number of cases was still low.

“Some precautions are being taken but, because the level at which COVID is spreading is very low, they depend on the organisers.”

Meares said “a couple” of unnamed officials on the Australian team have cold and ‘flu symptoms and are being treated the same as the water polo players.

- With Reuters