Two athletes have become the first to test positive for coronavirus at the Tokyo Olympic athletes’ village, five days before the start of the Games, according to the BBC.
The two are reportedly from the same team and sport as an official who tested positive on Saturday. Other members of the team are being isolated in their rooms.
Olympics organisers said that, in all, 10 new cases connected to the Olympics – including media, contractors and other personnel – were reported yesterday, compared with 15 new cases on Saturday.
The BBC said infection rates were rising among the general population of Tokyo, topping 1 000 new cases for four consecutive days, and that polls showed that many Japanese people opposed holding the Games because of the health risks associated with the anticipated influx of overseas.
On Saturday, Tokyo Olympics chief Seiko Hashimoto said: ‘Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that.
‘We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond.’
Australia’s entire athletics team for the Tokyo Olympics were quarantined in their rooms on Saturday at their pre-Games training camp in Cairns, following a Covid-19 scare, but had since been permitted to compete in a warm-up event.
The BBC said an inconclusive test had been returned by an official but subsequent tests were negative, according to the Australian Olympic Committee.
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