Coronavirus pandemic

Japan's Olympic team hit by first Covid-19 case

Japan diver Ken Terauchi, who has qualified to compete in his sixth Olympics at the Tokyo Games, has the coronavirus.
Japan diver Ken Terauchi, who has qualified to compete in his sixth Olympics at the Tokyo Games, has the coronavirus. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/KEN TERAUCHI

TOKYO • Five-time Olympian diver Ken Terauchi, who has secured a place at the Tokyo 2020 Games, has become the first member of the Japanese Olympic team to test positive for Covid-19.

Kyodo news agency said that the 39-year-old, who is being treated in a hospital, suffered initial symptoms of the virus on July 25 and had a fever measuring over 37 deg C on July 27 and 28.

He underwent a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test last Friday after finding out that an acquaintance he met after training in Osaka on July 24 had tested positive for the virus.

According to Kyodo News, Terauchi is experiencing "abnormalities with his sense of taste and smell".

He qualified for the delayed Olympics, which will be held next year from July 23-Aug 8 because of the coronavirus pandemic, along with teammate Sho Sakai after finishing seventh in the men's 3m synchronised competition at last year's World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

Kyodo News added he is so far the only member of the Japanese Olympic team known to have been infected with the Covid-19 disease.

The outlet also said that athletes and staff from his diving club who recently practised with him at a rented pool in Osaka will undergo PCR tests.

None have so far reported any symptoms of the virus.

The country has been suffering a second wave of infections since early last month, with confirmed cases up by 955 on Monday, including 258 cases in Tokyo.

As of yesterday, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Japan has reached over 38,600, including over 1,000 deaths.

  • 38k Covid-19 cases in Japan, whose capital Tokyo will host next year's Olympic Games.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 05, 2020, with the headline Japan's Olympic team hit by first Covid-19 case. Subscribe