CNN
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Two athletes in the Tokyo Olympic Village tested positive for the virus. Organizers confirmed on Sunday that the game was set to start just a few days ago.
Three cases have been confirmed in the village. In the first case, it was reported on Saturday that a man tested positive and he is believed to be not an athlete.
Organizers said that outside the Olympic Village, the third athlete tested positive on Sunday. The name and nationality of the positive case were not disclosed.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will begin on Friday – but there are growing concerns about the risk of Covid spreading, and there are now 55 confirmed cases related to the Olympics, including officials and contractors.
As Japan strives to control the latest coronavirus outbreak, the Japanese public and many international observers have expressed concerns about advancing the Olympics.
The country experienced a large-scale second wave in the spring, peaking in April and May, with nearly 6,000 new cases every day. The number of cases has declined since June, but has increased in recent weeks, which has raised concerns that the arrival of teams from more than 200 countries may turn the Olympics into a super global event.
According to Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, as of Friday, more than 15,000 Olympic athletes have entered Japan. The Olympic Village includes 21 residential buildings and will accommodate approximately 11,000 athletes.
Bach admitted that he was criticized for organizing the Olympics during the pandemic, but he also defended the preventive measures that had been taken.
“We are very aware of the skepticism of many people in Japan,” he said at a press conference on Saturday. “I call on the Japanese people to welcome athletes to their games.”
03:03-Source: CNN
Japan’s concerns about the Olympics and the new crown virus
According to an IOC spokesperson, the organizers announced this month that due to Tokyo’s coronavirus emergency, Tokyo’s stadiums will no longer receive spectators-an unprecedented move.
The Olympic Village is equipped with a Covid testing center and a health center, and signs reminding residents to wear masks and keep a distance of 1 meter (approximately 3.3 feet) from each other. Athletes will be contacted and tested for Covid every day; if they test positive, they will be transferred to an isolation facility outside the Olympic Village and they will not be able to participate in the competition.
Other measures in the village include limiting the capacity of indoor facilities, such as canteens and training centers, and separating residents with plastic barriers.
However, some athletes have decided not to risk withdrawing from the game, including Australian tennis star Nick Kilgis and Australian basketball players. Liz Campech. About 10,000 Olympic volunteers have also resigned.
Celina Wang of CNN contributed to this report.