First COVID case reported in Tokyo 2020 Paralympic village, according to organizers, only days before the Games begin on August 24.
The first viral case has been discovered in the Paralympic village. Days before the Games begin, the first coronavirus case was discovered in the Paralympic village, according to organizers, as Japan battles a record wave of infections.
According to organizers, the case involving a Games-related member of staff who is not a Japanese resident was discovered on Thursday, but no further information were provided.
So far, 74 instances have been related to the Paralympics, the majority of which have occurred among contractors and Games workers who live in Japan. Local towns hosting teams for training camps have reported six more instances.
Infections have yet to be reported among athletes in the village, which welcomed Paralympians on Tuesday.
From August 24 to September 5, around 4,400 athletes from 160 teams will compete in Tokyo.
Those remaining in the village will be subjected to daily COVID-19 testing, face masks, and social separation, just as they were during the Olympic Games, which ended on August 8.
The Paralympics begin about two weeks after the Olympics, with organizers claiming that strict anti-virus precautions prevented any substantial spread of infection.
So far, 546 positive cases have been linked to the Olympics, with some experts claiming that the Games undercut the government’s stance on virus rules and contributed to an increase in domestic illnesses.
Japan has had more than 20,000 daily viral cases in recent days, more than ever before, and the government has declared a virus state of emergency in 13 districts until September 12.
The law mainly reduces restaurant and bar operating hours and prohibits them from selling alcohol, although experts have questioned whether the limits are effective, given the rising number of cases.
Source: Aljazeera
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