Flame arrives in Tokyo, as infections hit a high

TOKYO • The Paralympic flame arrived in Tokyo yesterday as Covid-19 cases hit fresh records in Japan just days before the Games begin, with organisers admitting the competition will be held under "very difficult" circumstances.

The country's daily infections topped 25,000 for the first time on Thursday, with the number of severe cases also higher than ever as Japan battles a fifth wave driven by the more contagious Delta variant.

Seven more prefectures were yesterday placed under the country's fourth state of emergency, joining the six prefectures, including Tokyo, already under strict countermeasures.

As Tokyo prepares to host the world's biggest sporting event for athletes with disabilities, organisers urged participants to follow virus rules with increased vigilance.

"The infection situation today is different to how it was before the Olympics (which ended almost two weeks ago). It has deteriorated," said Tokyo 2020 official Hidemasa Nakamura.

"And the local medical system is also in a very tight situation. Para-athletes, compared to Olympic athletes, risk having even more serious symptoms, so we need to be even more careful.

"What do we do if we have a case becoming seriously ill, given the tight situation on hospital beds?"

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper yesterday reported that a Tokyo hospital declined an official request to take emergency cases from the Games, with priority given to domestic Covid-19 patients.

Organisers hope that by adhering to the same "playbook" used during the July 23-Aug 8 Olympics, virus cases relating to the Paralympics will be kept under control.

An estimated 88 per cent of those in the Paralympic Village are vaccinated, say organisers.

The event will be held behind closed doors, although a selected number of schoolchildren may be allowed to attend.

Frequent testing and other restrictions, like limiting the movement of athletes and officials, had proven effective in minimising infection risks, organisers added.

While the number of athletes and officials coming from overseas is less than a third of that during the Olympics - around 4,400 are set to compete - the health situation in Japan has become much worse over the past fortnight.

So far, 86 cases have been recorded among Paralympic participants, mostly among Japan-based employees and contractors, although an athlete was one of 12 people infected yesterday.

The Olympics recorded only 546 cases out of over 20,000 athletes, officials and media. The bulk were also Japan-based contractors.

Multiple flames were yesterday combined at a closed-door ceremony attended by officials including Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

A version of the red, blue and green Paralympic agitos symbol was brought to the Tokyo Bay area on a barge, replacing the five Olympic rings.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS