More than 40 Australian Olympians have tested positive for COVID and other respiratory illnesses at the Paris Games, Ednews informs referring to 7News.

Swimming Australia’s head coach Rohan Taylor has revealed some swimmers raced with COVID during their nine-day program at the pool.

While some swimmers withdrew from races including Lani Pallister and Ella Ramsay, others competed with the virus.

Zac Stubblety-Cook, silver medallist in the men’s 200m breatstsroke, was among those who continued to compete despite testing positive for COVID.

The Australians have two PCR testing machines at the athletes village which Taylor and team chef de mission Anna Meares say have been crucial in minimizing the spread of COVID.

“That turns around the results in 45 minutes, which allows the medical team to support our athletes as quickly as possible,” Meares said on Monday.

“You come here and you do all the preparation and planning and sometimes health can be the thing that can tip it one way or the other.”

The Australian team’s medical director Carolyn Broderick said 84 PCR tests had been performed at the village.