By Mary Cunningham
The Associated Press is reporting that the first resident of the Olympic Village has tested positive for COVID-19.
Officials said it was not an athlete with the the Games opening in just under a week on July 23.
Tokyo officials including Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the organizing committee, confirmed the case and said the positive test was Friday. Organizers say for confidentiality purposes they can only offer a vague description and few details.
“In the current situation, that positive cases arise is something we must assume is possible,” said Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the Tokyo organizing committee.
The person is identified simply as a “games-concerned personnel.” The person is also listed as a non-resident of Japan. Tokyo officials said the person was placed in a 14-day quarantine.
The Olympic Village on Tokyo Bay will house about 11,000 athletes during the Olympics and thousands of other staff.
Organizers say since July 1 and as of today 45 people under their “jurisdiction” have tested positive. Only one involves a person in the village and most are identified as “contractors” for Tokyo 2020 and “games-concerned personnel.” The list includes one athlete – who tested positive on July 14 – and three members of the media.
Of the 45, only 12 are listed as “non-resident of Japan.”
