By Tony Munroe

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Organisers of the Beijing Olympics said Sunday that 72 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed among 2,586 Games personnel who entered China between Jan. 4 and Jan. 22. No cases were reported among 171 athletes or team officials.

The final preparations for the Winter Games are underway amid an increase in Omicron coronavirus cases worldwide. Games take place between February 4 and 20, in an “closed loop” bubble which isolates the event personnel and the public.

The organisers stated that 39 cases were confirmed to have been found during testing at the airport while 33 others were discovered inside the loop. Participant in the bubble must undergo daily testing. 336,421 of these PCR tests were administered between January 4 and 22.

Brian McCloskey chaired the Beijing 2022 medical panel and stated that numbers are consistent with last year’s Tokyo Games games. They also met expectations.

He stated that “we never set a goal of zero cases within the closed loop.”

Games participants must submit two negative PCR results in China within 96 hours. Most Games participants are on charter flights specially designed for them.

Last week organizers stated that they will not sell tickets to the Olympics due to COVID-19 and instead distribute them to people who have to take strict measures to prevent the event from happening.

China has successfully contained COVID-19’s domestic epidemics since its first appearance in Wuhan. It has also closed all borders for international visitors.

After nine cases of COVID-19 being found locally, Beijing’s government took further steps to limit COVID-19 on Sunday.