New Analysis The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games are just one week away, yet the fast-spreading Omicron variant has hit Beijing amid emerging COVID-19 clusters across the country. The surge in cases has pressured the regime to employ the most stringent health protocols to keep the virus at bay, leading many to believe this will be the most unpleasant sporting event in Olympic history. On Wednesday, Beijing reported 14 local COVID-19 cases, the highest daily count in its current outbreak, according to Reuters. The Chinese capital has confirmed 55 local cases with symptoms since Jan. 15, citing its official data. The Feb. 4-20 event will be followed by the Winter Paralympics from March 4-13 which will result in a large number of non-Chinese–from athletes to media personnel—arriving in Bejing for the event. Already COVID-19 cases have risen above 100 in the so-called Olympic bubble the South China Morning Post reported on …