A Kiwi Olympian who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Beijing for the Winter Games has since tested negative, the New Zealand Olympic Committee has confirmed.
The NZOC confirmed on Thursday in a statement an athlete had tested positive for the virus after rigorous testing but was now in the clear.
"In order to enter Beijing, team members must provide two negative Covid-19 tests pre-departure, one within 96 hours of travel, and one within 72 hours," the NZOC said.
"A New Zealand team member returned an initial positive test on arrival but has since returned two negative tests, as per the process, and is no longer deemed a positive case.
"The team member is feeling well and is looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games."
New Zealand chef de mission Marty Toomey added the athlete who produced a weak positive on arrival may well have been shedding viral load after having earlier recovered from having the virus.
NZOC chief executive Kereyn Smith told RNZ the news wasn't surprising, given many of the Kiwi athletes have been competing in places where Covid-19 is present.
Regardless, the ordeal can be left behind with the athlete cleared to compete.
"Once you're in that system it is a closed loop system that they're running, so the people in the villages and the Olympic environment are not coming into contact with people outside of that," Smith said.
Smith added the athlete has not been named for privacy reasons but she anticipated that they would be competing some time this week.
To date, 232 cases from personnel linked to the Winter Olympics have been recorded since January 23 in Beijing of which 163 were picked up at the airport and the other 69 were found in the "closed loop".
New Zealand's first athletes in action are Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Cool Wakushima who compete in snowboard slopestyle on Saturday.
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