The first case of COVID-19 has been reported in Tokyo Olympic Village, six days before the opening ceremony, the organisers said on Saturday, AFP reported. 

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“There was one person in the Village. That was the very first case in the Village that was reported during the screening test,” Masa Takaya, spokesman for the Tokyo organising committee, told a press conference, AFP reported. 

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The person, whose identity has not been revealed, has been removed from the Village where thousands of athletes and officials will reside during the Games.

“Right now this person is confined to a hotel,” Takaya said.

Seiko Hashimoto, the chief organiser of the Tokyo 2020 Games, said, “We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond.”

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The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to start on July 23 and will conclude on August 8. The Olympics will be held without spectators due to a surge in coronavirus cases in Japan over the last few weeks. 

Hashimoto went on to say that she knows the competitors at the Games would be anxious about the virus situation — and she vowed that organisers would not hide cases.

“Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that. That is the reason why we need to make full disclosure,” she said. 

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said it was not yet known if the person had been vaccinated against the virus.

“We don’t have any information on whether this person was vaccinated or not,” Muto said.

He said competitors at the Games would be tested every day “so if someone tests positive, that person will be isolated immediately whether there are any close contacts or not”.