With only three days left to the Winter Games, concerns are being raised about the food safety at PyeongChang, following reports of 41 security guards showing symptoms of the norovirus.

According to officials at Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, three out of 41 guards who suffered from diarrhea and vomiting were diagnosed with having the norovirus, as of Monday at 5 a.m. 

They were reportedly staying at the Ho-lab Mountain Ode Youth Training Center in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province.

The government plans to investigate around 1,000 security guard employees at the training center for further cases of the norovirus infection. It will also suspend food distribution and inspect the groundwater.

With the first suspected case appearing Thursday, the organizing committee and Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently under fire for their delayed response in handling the situation. 

The norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis, or infection of the stomach and intestines, due to food poisoning. Highly contagious and active at low temperatures, the norovirus causes stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. People can get infected by eating or drinking contaminated substances, touching contaminated surfaces and coming into contact with an infected individual.

With a 24- to 48-hour incubation period, the virus can also cause muscle aches, headaches and fever. In severe cases, one may feel dehydrated and experience severe abdominal pain.

There is no available vaccine or treatment options for the virus. Patients usually recover within one to three days.

Prevention is key when dealing with the norovirus, such as washing one’s hands properly and disinfecting contaminated objects and surfaces. Heating contaminated objects to 70 degrees Celsius for five minutes or 100 degress C for a minute can kill the virus.

The Olympic organizing committee plans to monitor all 18 accommodations that made use of the problematic groundwater and food preparations as well as distribute disinfectants to accommodations in Gangwon Province, where the Olympics will be held starting Friday.

By Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)