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How the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the Tokyo Olympics
The Tokyo Olympics take place as COVID-19 rates rise in Japan. Here’s what athletes, fans and the media can expect.
Just the FAQ, USA TODAY
TOKYO – The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee reported the first positive case of COVID-19 in the Olympic Village on Saturday.
The unidentified person, who is only listed by organizers as “staff affected by the games,” tested positive for the disease on Friday and is now in quarantine at a hotel.
Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the organizing committee, told a press conference that he had no information as to whether the person had been vaccinated. And Seiko Hashimoto, the committee chair, said the organizers were doing everything in their power to ensure that the Olympic Village – like all venues and facilities – was as safe as possible.
“We are sparing no effort,” she said.
The anonymous resident of the Olympic Village is one of 44 people affiliated with the Games who have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 1, according to organizers. Fourteen of those cases were reported on Saturday. Twenty-eight of the 44 positives involved Tokyo 2020 entrepreneurs.
MORE: Officials search for missing Olympic athlete in Japan
The positive test in the village comes as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Japan, where only about 20% of the population is fully vaccinated, and as thousands of athletes, coaches, staff in support and members of the media are preparing to arrive in Tokyo in the coming days.
The opening ceremony of the Games will take place on Friday.
Organizers have released background information on positive cases of COVID-19 linked to the Games, but declined to provide details of those infected, including their nationality and specific roles.
Muto said on Saturday that the organizing committee had discussed the disclosure process with the International Olympic Committee and that there are confidentiality issues regarding the disclosure of the nationalities of those who test positive because in some cases it could make the person easily identifiable. He said individual National Olympic Committees may later choose to identify those who test positive, especially athletes who cannot compete.
The Tokyo Olympics are expected to attract around 85,000 visitors to Japan. Athletes and other staff are not required to be vaccinated, although the IOC has said it expects more than 80% of residents of the Olympic Village to be vaccinated. All participants must pass regular COVID-19 tests, including daily tests for athletes.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
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