Tokyo Games: first Covid case at the Olympic village

During today's daily screening, a total of 15 new cases were registered. The organising committee has not revealed the identity of the person who tested positive in the Olympic village, but said he was not an athlete and is now in isolation in a hotel.

 

 


Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Six days before the start of the world's most important sporting event, the first case of Covid-19 has been detected at the Olympic village. This was reported by the Tokyo organising committee without revealing the identity of the person who tested positive. Toshiro Muto, head of the Olympic Games, specified that it was not an athlete but a foreign person involved in the organisation who is now in isolation in a hotel.

"We are doing everything possible to ensure that there is no COVID-19 outbreak," said Seiko Hashimoto, who heads the organisation. "If we end up with an outbreak, we will make sure we have a response plan." Those participating in the Olympics will be tested every day and positive cases will be immediately quarantined, organisers assure.

During today's daily screening, a total of 15 cases of coronavirus were recorded among organisational and non-organisational staff members, the highest count since the committee began compiling data on 1 July. According to Kyodo News, seven are contractors, six are Olympic staff members and two are members of the press. A total of 45 cases have been detected since the start of the month, while yesterday there were 3,408 new infections and 11 deaths across the country.