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 Two lugers of the same nationality tested positive, said Huang Chun,
an official of the Games organising committee.
Both have been transferred to quarantine hotels, he told a news
briefing in the Chinese capital.
Beijing's vice mayor previously said the coronavirus would be one of
the biggest challenges to the city's hosting of the Games.
A widespread outbreak related to the Games would hurt China's track
record of containing clusters quickly, having elected to maintain a
zero-tolerance approach towards COVID-19.
The Games will run from Feb. 4 until Feb. 20, with all participants
subject to daily COVID-19 tests, and no international spectators.
Athletes and other Games-related personnel will also be enveloped in
a "closed loop" bubble.
"We will still let the person take part in training and activities
related to the games, but (the individual) needs to go though strict
health monitoring and COVID-19 testing every day," Huang said,
referring to the first athlete who tested positive.
The individual will also stay in their room, eat and ride in
vehicles alone, Huang told reporters.
The second case was a close contact of the first athlete, he said,
without giving details on their nationality.
The announcement of the infections came on the heels of reports
earlier this week of a crash by a Polish slider during a luge
training session.
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 Polish slider Mateusz Sochowicz
on Monday hit a closed barrier that should have
been open on the Olympic track, leaving him with
a fractured left kneecap and a cut to the bone
on his right leg.
Additional safety measures were introduced at
the Beijing Olympics Sliding Centre after the
crash.
Sochowicz said his accident could have been far
more serious had he not taken evasive action.
The 25-year-old also said the track team had
been slow to react, and he had spent half an
hour on the ice before being transported to
hospital for surgery.
Yao Hui, director of venue management, told
reporters at the same press conference that
medical workers came to his aid within three
minutes.
Sochowicz is to be discharged from hospital on
Friday, Yao said.
(Reporting by Thomas Suen and Gabriel Crossley;
Writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Clarence
Fernandez)
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