A second Ugandan has tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan, three days after a compatriot suffered a similar fate upon arrival in the country for next month’s Olympics.
The Olympics were postponed for the first time in their history last year as a result of the pandemic and are still set to go ahead on 23 July despite a fresh wave of cases in Japan.
Uganda, which has been experiencing a surge in cases recently, has so far sent nine of its team to Japan to prepare for the Olympics, all of whom have been fully vaccinated.
“A second member of our Team Uganda has tested positive for Covid-19,” Uganda’s Olympic Committee said in a statement.
“The member is asymptomatic and being looked after by the health authorities in Izumisano city. The rest of the team is well and continue to acclimatise in Izumisano.”
All of the Ugandan delegation in Japan, which includes a swimmer, boxers, a weightlifter and officials, had tested negative for coronavirus prior to leaving Uganda last week.
However, one of them tested positive on arrival at Tokyo’s Narita airport on Saturday and was quarantined at a government-designated facility, Japanese officials were quoted by local media as saying.
Continuing Covid cases will raise further questions about whether the Games should be going ahead in Japan, where many locals oppose the idea.
However, officials have refused to call off the Olympics, which run from 23 July to 8 August, saying they will be safe and secure.
Source: BBC
