International Olympic Committee Dismiss Any Link To Rising COVID-19 Cases In Tokyo

New Delhi: The host city of Olympic Games 2020, Tokyo confirmed 3,865 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, setting a record for the third straight day. But, Tokyo Olympics organizers dismissed any link to rising COVID-19 cases in Japan on Thursday after reporting 24 infections among Games participants, the highest yet.

Thursday’s figure comes after Tokyo reported 3,177 cases on Wednesday, the first time exceeding 3,000, and the Japan logging 9,576 cases, topping 9,000 for the first time and exceeding the previous record of 7,958 set on Jan. 8. The seven-day average of new cases in the capital came to 2,224.1 cases, compared to 1,373.4 a week earlier. At least 193 athletes, media and Olympic employees and contractors have now tested positive for the virus, according to Tokyo 2020 figures that do not include some cases at airports and in training camps.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said there was nothing to suggest a link between the Games and the rising figures. “As far as I'm aware there's not a single case of an infection spreading to the Tokyo population from the athletes or Olympic movement,” he told reporters.“We have the most tested community probably anywhere... in the world, on top of that you have some of the toughest lockdown restrictions in the athlete's village,” he added.

According to a report in ‘The Japan Times’ Organisers also insisted the Games is not putting additional pressure on Japan's medical system, as experts warn the rising number of cases could lead to a healthcare crisis. Only two people associated with the Games are in hospital, they said, and half of all those needing care are being looked after by their own medical teams.

"Of 310,000 screeening tests, the rate of positivity is 0.02 percent," Adams added. Of the Olympic participants reported positive, 109 are residents of Japan, with the rest coming from abroad.

The comments come with rising concern in Tokyo and beyond about a rapid rise in new infections, spurred by the more contagious Delta variant. okyo is already under a virus state of emergency that shortens restaurant and bar opening hours and bars them from selling alcohol, and three neighbouring regions are now expected to impose the same measure. But experts say the limits do not appear to be working, and have warned people not to drop their guard.

“The current situation is the worst ever,” a top government advisor on the virus warned, according to national broadcaster NHK. Shigeru Omi, a former top WHO official, added that since the government and Olympic organisers had decided to go ahead with the Games, it is their responsibility to do everything they can... to prevent infections and a breakdown in medical services”.

Japan has seen a comparatively small virus outbreak, with around 15,000 deaths despite avoiding harsh lockdowns, but only around a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated. Japan faces its most serious situation since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the country’s top medical adviser warned on Thursday, urging the government to send a “clearer, stronger message” about growing risks including to the medical system.

The government is likely to decide on a COVID-19 state of emergency for three prefectures neighboring Tokyo — Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama — as soon as Friday, sources have said. It is also considering declaring an emergency for Osaka Prefecture, according to the sources. “The biggest crisis is that society does not share a sense of risk,” top medical adviser Shigeru Omi told a Diet panel. “The numbers (for Tokyo) surpassed 3,000 and this may have some announcement effect. Without missing this chance, I want the government to send a stronger, clearer message.”