Men's 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Topi Raitanen was one of those who contracted the virus.

Distance runners Camilla Richardsson, Nathalie Blomqvist, Alisa Vainio and Annemari Kiekara also tested positive for coronavirus.

Salonen did not give an exact figure of positive tests, but said some had occurred after athletes returned home.

"Most of them have developed symptoms two or three days after returning home," said Salonen to Finnish publication Yle. 

"The most difficult thing is that the symptoms have come with a delay due to the incubation time, and reacting is difficult in that sense. 

"It is very unfortunate that there has been infection."

Prior to departing Finland, athletes did a home test to ensure nobody was travelling with COVD-19, while masks were recommended while travelling and indoors.

Salonen added that athletes were in close contact with one another on bus transportation, at meals and during in-competition situations.

"More cases are known after returning home," Salonen said, per Yle. 

"Of course, then we have not succeeded as we would have liked. 

"The goal is that no one would get sick and no one's health would be threatened. 

"In that sense, we have not succeeded. 

"The good thing about accidents in these games is that there have been incidents only after the Championships."

The Finnish athletics team is due to face Sweden on Saturday (September 3) at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.

At Munich 2022, Finnish athletes won four medals, including pole vault gold for Wilma Murto and Raitanen's triumph over 3,000m.