Sickness bug outbreak reported at Commonwealth Games athletes' village

The organisers of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have begun an investigation into an outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea that has struck the athletes' village in the city.

According to a spokesman, a "small number" of cases affecting the workers at the site have been reported. Residents have been urged to stay in their rooms if they begin to develop symptoms.

Athletes will be arriving for the start of the Games, which take place between July 23rd and August 8th, in the next few days.

The Games organisers have said they are taking the reports very seriously and are monitoring the situation in the village closely. So far, no athletes or team officials have reported any symptoms, but organisers are gathering and distributing information to competitors as they arrive.

Workers at the Dalmarnock site and competitors arriving at the global village have been encouraged to be diligent when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness.

An advisory note has also been distributed warning that the bug could be highly contagious.

Expert Opinion

The report of a sickness outbreak at a major global event is very concerning. “Gastric illness can have a long lasting effect and can lead to the development of further health problems, so it is vital that the seriousness of these issues are not underestimated. <br/> <br/>"This incident should be thoroughly investigated to uncover the cause of the outbreak in the athletes’ village and measures should be drawn up to reduce the likelihood of similar problems occurring in the future." Amandeep Dhillon - Partner