Another COVID-19 Case Confirmed in Tokyo Olympic Team... Total Now 2

Two Confirmed Cases in Uganda Team
City Health Center's 'Delayed' Contact Tracing Sparks Criticism of Quarantine Authorities

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] An additional COVID-19 case has been confirmed among the Ugandan delegation that came to Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. As signs of COVID-19 spreading within the Ugandan team emerge, concerns are rising that infections could surge during the Tokyo Olympics.

According to Izumisano City in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, on the 24th, one more COVID-19 positive case was confirmed among the Ugandan delegation who recently arrived in Japan.

The Ugandan team is training together at a hotel in Izumisano City, and analysis of samples collected on the 22nd revealed that one member in their 20s was infected.

It is still unknown when and through what route the newly confirmed positive case was infected.

Accordingly, including one previously confirmed positive member, the total number of COVID-19 cases among the nine Ugandan team members who came to Japan has increased to two.

The Ugandan delegation had received two doses of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine before coming to Japan and submitted certificates proving negative test results within 72 hours before departure, complying with Japan’s quarantine guidelines, but they could not avoid COVID-19 infection.

This has raised doubts about the response of Japanese quarantine authorities.

The team arrived in Japan on the 19th, and one member was confirmed infected through airport quarantine, while the other eight tested negative at that time.

The person who tested positive at quarantine was isolated in a separate facility, but the quarantine authorities did not immediately determine who the close contacts were.

A representative from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said that determining close contacts is the responsibility of local government health centers and delayed the process, while local authorities responded that they thought the (airport) quarantine would make the determination, leading to criticism for shirking responsibility.

As criticism spread, the Izumisano City Health Center belatedly began tracing close contacts of the Ugandan team.

The city health center announced the close contacts only on the 22nd, two days after the first confirmation of a positive case in the team on the 20th.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 case in the Ugandan team was the first confirmed infection among foreign delegations participating in the Tokyo Olympics.

With the opening approaching and the arrival of delegations from various countries intensifying, concerns are also emerging that a shortage of quarantine personnel could weaken the quarantine system.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.