Japan : First Covid19 case found in athletes’ village
An unidentified overseas visitor has tested positive for Covid-19 at the Tokyo Olympics athletes’ village, organisers said on Saturday the first such case amid concerns the Games could become a super-spreader event.
Speaking at a news conference, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto confirmed a non-resident of Japan who is involved in organising the Games had tested positive, adding that the individual has been taken into quarantine outside of the village. He would not reveal the person’s nationality, citing privacy concerns.
The person is identified simply as a ‘games-concerned personnel’. The person is also listed as a non-resident of Japan. Tokyo officials said the person was placed in a 14-day quarantine. The Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay will house about 11,000 athletes during the Olympics and thousands of other staff.
Organizers say since July 1 and as of Saturday, 44 people under their jurisdiction have tested positive. None involved people living in the village and most are identified as contractors for Tokyo 2020 and games-concerned personnel.” The list includes one athlete, who tested positive on July 14, and three members of the media.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed for a year due to the global pandemic, is being held mostly without spectators and under tight quarantine rules. “We are making all our efforts and the Japanese people have all our commitment to contribute in the best way to fight this virus and not to bring any risk to the Japanese people,” Bach told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
