With a new report that puts the number of those affected at 86, the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has noted the spread of the illness beyond the security staff, and has now reported cases in members of the 2018 Olympics Organizing Committee, site administrative staff and food service workers, according to Time.com.
No competing participants have been affected by the extremely contagious virus according to reports, and KCDC warnings have increased vigilance in the Olympic Village.
The fast-moving virus causes vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain, and is known to cause some 200,000 deaths annually around the world, primarily in those that remain untreated, or whose immune systems have been suppressed.
At least 1,200 workers were quarantined when the virus was first reported, causing host country South Korea to quickly deploy hundreds of soldiers as backup.
"In order to stop the further outbreak of the virus, we're quarantining patients beginning from the diagnosis to the treatment," stated KCDC Director Kim Hyun-jun, who added that January and February are known to be the "peak season" for the disease.
"In order to prevent any kind of accident that will prevent [participants] from competing well and enjoying the games, we're doing our best" he added, cited by Time.com.
The 2018 Winter Olympics, currently ongoing in South Korea's mountainous Pyeongchang district, is the 23rd event of its kind in modern history. Over 2000 participants from 92 nations will attend. Current weather conditions are expected to favor outdoor competition, remaining below freezing at night but becoming warmer during daylight hours.
The quadrennial sporting event will end on February 29.
