Olympics-IOC chief, Tokyo governor to meet as COVID cases rise (updated)
15/07/2021 07:42
(Adds information on Kenya women's rugby team)
TOKYO, July 15 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee
President Thomas Bach and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike were set
to meet on Thursday, the metropolitan government said, as
COVID-19 cases hit a six-month high in the host city.
It is not clear what Bach and Koike will discuss at
Thursday's meeting, which comes a day after Bach met Japanese
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
Just over a week before the July 23 opening ceremony, Tokyo
reported 1,149 COVID-19 cases, its highest daily tally since
late January.
Postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games
have little public support in Japan amid fears about the spread
of the virus.
A number of cases have emerged among several visiting
athletes and people involved with the Games. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2OR0C6
On Thursday, eight athletes from the Kenya women's rugby
team, who were set to hold a training camp at Kurume city in
southwestern Japan, were classified as close contacts of a
passenger on their flight to Tokyo who tested positive for
coronavirus, a city official said.
The athletes had all tested negative on arrival at the
airport, the official added, and will be staying at an
accommodation facility in Tokyo until the Games.
Tokyo entered its fourth state of emergency earlier this
week amid a rebound in COVID-19 cases that pushed Games
organisers to ban spectators from nearly all venues.
Bach said on Wednesday that strict coronavirus measures were
in place, with high vaccination rates among participants,
limited mobility for athletes and support staff, spectators
banned and continuous testing.
"This message has to get across. The Japanese people have to
gain confidence in this," he said.
(Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu; Editing by Stephen Coates and
Michael Perry)
((eimi.yamamitsu@thomsonreuters.com;))