Krčmář, the leading Czech athlete on the men's overall standings, and Václavík have been placed into quarantine and will be absent from the start list for the back-to-back events in the German town, the first of which begins tomorrow.

Russian head coach Valery Polkhovsky is also set to miss the competitions after the country's official state news agency TASS reported he had tested positive.

IBU World Cups this season are being held under a series of COVID-19 protocols, including regular testing of athletes and team officials.

A number of athletes tested positive ahead of the first World Cup of the new campaign in Kontiolahti in Finland in November.

Oberhof is staging consecutive World Cups after the IBU reduced the number of host venues to limit travel and reduce the risk of infection.

The first begins tomorrow and concludes on Sunday (January 10), with the second Oberhof leg due to run from January 13 to 17.

Olympic individual champion and men's World Cup holder Johannes Thingnes Bø leads the overall standings but has only recorded one victory so far this season, a run he will be hoping to end in Germany.

Bø's compatriot Marte Olsbu Røiseland sits top of the women's leaderboard.

The sprint races for men and women are scheduled to be staged on the opening day of competition in Oberhof.