The Tokyo Games organisers on Friday announced 27 new COVID-19 cases linked with the Olympics, including three athletes that is the highest daily count so far.
Along with these 27 cases, the total number of cases related to Covid-19 now stands at 220 comprising 18 residents of Japan and nine from overseas. Among the ones who have been reported with COVID-19 include US pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, a two-time world champion, who on Thursday pulled out of the Games after testing positive for the virus.
Two athletes and a Games-related official were staying in the Olympic village, out of the daily total. A day after Tokyo reported 3,865 new infections the highest daily figure in Games-related cases were reported. Tokyo reported 3,865 new infections, hitting a record for the third straight day, and the nationwide single-day count topped 10,000 for the first time.
According to the organising committee, besides the three athletes, those who tested positive for coronavirus were 15 contractors, four Games-related officials, four volunteers and one member of the media
The total number of cases in the Games village currently stands at 26. As of Wednesday, 39,853 people from overseas had arrived in Japan to take part in the Games, it said. The organisers, on Thursday, said while announcing 24 new COVID-19 cases, including three athletes, had claimed that the showpiece is not behind the record spike in the host city.
Reacting promptly, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) spokesperson Mark Adams said the Games are not responsible for the increase in coronavirus infections in Tokyo, as per the public broadcaster NHK.
However, authorities have been warned by the Japanese capital setting an all-time high and closing in on 4000 cases, only a day after crossing the 3000 mark for the first time. According to the country’s health ministry, Japan has kept its cases and deaths lower than many other countries, but its seven-day average is surging. The host city is in a state of emergency with COVID-19 infections at a record high.
IOC spokesman Adams on Thursday said there was nothing to suggest a link between the Games and the rising figures.
“As far as I’m aware there’s not a single case of an infection spreading to the Tokyo population from the athletes or Olympic movement,” he had told reporters here.
“We have the most tested community probably anywhere… in the world, on top of that you have some of the toughest lockdown restrictions in the athlete’s village,” he added.
Adams said only two people associated with the Games are in hospital, and half of all those needing care are being looked after by their own medical teams. “Of 310,000 screening tests, the rate of positivity is 0.02 per cent,” Adams had said.
Japan expands virus emergency after record spikes amid Games
Seeing a surge in coronavirus cases in Olympics Tokyo, Japan is set to expand the state of emergency in Tokyo to neighbouring areas and the western city of Osaka on Friday.
A government panel approved the plan putting Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba, as well as Osaka, under the state of emergency from Monday until Aug. 31. The measures already in place in Tokyo and the southern island of Okinawa will be extended until the end of August.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is scheduled to officially announce the measures later Friday. Five other areas, including Hokkaido, Kyoto, Hyogo and Fukuoka, will be placed under less-stringent emergency restrictions.
For three days in a row Tokyo has reported a record spike in cases, including 3,865 on Thursday. Since last week, the cases have doubled and officials have warned they may hit 4,500 a day within two weeks.
About 2,995 were hospitalized, about half the current capacity of 6,000 beds, with some hospitals already full, said the officials.
More than 10,000 others were isolating at home or designated hotels, with nearly 5,600 waiting at home while health centers decide where they will be treated.