The cases involve athletes from Romania and Moldova.

The IBU said both had already been placed in quarantine due to being contacts of a team member who tested positive last week.

"The IBU has conducted the final SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests for event participants at the BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon in Kontiolahti, Finland," an IBU statement read.

"Two athletes from Romania and Moldova have tested positive.

"The Finnish health authorities have evaluated the positive tests and informed all relevant parties that both persons who tested positive will be quarantined.

"Both athletes were already in quarantine last week as they were contact persons of a team member who tested positive.

"At the end of this quarantine period the athletes were tested again according to the IBU COVID-19 event guidelines and this new test produced positive results.

"This positive test now requires a second quarantine of seven days."

The IBU held back-to-back events in Finland to open its World Cup season, with both held behind closed doors.

The season opened with races on November 28 and 29 and the second stage of the World Cup followed from December 3 to 6.

Members of the French, Latvian, Russian, Romanian and Moldovan teams had tested positive prior to the opening World Cup.

In the case of the French team, Finnish authorities decided that no quarantine was required.

The IBU World Cup season will resume with the third event of the campaign, in Hochfilzen in Austria from Friday (December 11).