Tokyo 2020: Three more non-athletes test COVID-19 positive

Bengaluru, July 19: Tokyo 2020 organisers confirmed that one Games concerned personnel and a contractor were among three new COVID-19 cases detected.

This happened a day after after three sportspersons, two of them staying at the athletes Village, tested positive for COVID-19.

The Games concerned personnel is based in Chiba. The third case is of a journalist who has travelled for the event and was under a 14-day quarantine in Tokyo. The contractor is based in Saitama.

Earlier American teenage tennis sensation Coco Gauff was forced to pull out after testing positive for the dreaded virus.

Tokyo 2020: Coco Gauff out of Games after testing positive for COVID-19

The three cases were revealed by the organising committee in its daily update of COVID-19 list. The total number of Games-related cases now stands at 58, as per AP/PTI news agency reports.

The first instance of athletes staying at the village catching the infection came to light. on Sunday. The two were South African football players.

Their identities were not revealed by the organisers but the South African Football Association issued a statement to make that information clear.

South Africa footballers confirmed as first two positive cases in athletes' village

A total of 10 cases were detected on Sunday, including five Games concerned personnel, one contractor, and a journalist.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Games Operations Director Pierre Ducrey, however, insisted that there is no cause for concern at this moment.

When there is a positive COVID 19 case - it means action. There is a clear procedure to identify close contacts. A case is not just data in a spread sheet but leads to action, including immediate follow-up testing. - Christophe Dubi, IOC Olympic Games Exec Director #Tokyo2020

— Christian Klaue (@ChKlaue) July 18, 2021

"The participants of the Olympic Games are the most controlled population in the world," said Ducrey.

The Games will be held behind closed doors from July 23 as infections soar in the Japanese capital, which has been recording more than 1,000 cases per day for the past few days.

The first batch of athletes from the Indian contingent has already checked in at the village.

Tokyo 2020: Bach hopes Japanese public will support Games

IOC President Thomas Bach has meanwhile repeated his call for support from the Japanese public for the Olympic Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Games will go on till August 8.