Tokyo 2020 organizers confirm 1st positive COVID-19 case in athletes' village

TOKYO - First positive COVID-19 case has been identified in the athletes' village of Tokyo 2020, organizers confirmed here on Saturday.

The infected person, who received a negative result at the airport but tested positive during the screening test in the village Friday, is now isolated in a hotel, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told a press conference.

The organizers refused to disclose the nationality of the person, which may lead to identification of the exact person, Muto said, citing privacy concerns. The organizers said they did not know if the person is vaccinated or not.

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto repeatedly emphasized that the organizing committee is "doing everything we can" to avoid an outbreak in the village, and "will have a plan in place" if it does happen. She expressed understanding that athletes that have yet to arrive in Tokyo are worried about the situation, calling on all stakeholders to follow the stringent rules in the playbook, which required athletes to test on a daily basis.

A total of 15 positives cases were confirmed among Olympic-and-Paralympic-related people on Friday, bringing the number up to 45 since July 1.