Two athletes in Tokyo Olympic village test positive for COVID-19

A security guard patrols inside the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village. (Xinhua/Wang Zijiang)

The first COVID-19 cases among competitors residing in the Olympic athletes' village were reported on Sunday.

TOKYO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo Olympic organizers confirmed on Sunday that two athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Olympic village and are now isolated in their rooms.

This came after a non-athlete in the village tested positive for coronavirus earlier on Saturday, and these two confirmed cases are the first among competitors.

At a press conference, Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya said the two athletes are from same country and same sport, and they were isolated as soon as they returned positive tests. No names or other information were provided.

Late on Saturday, Ryu Seung-min, president of the South Korean table tennis association and a former Olympic champion, tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival at Narita International Airport, according to his social media post.

At the press conference, organizers also detailed countermeasures against COVID-19 and Japan's brutal summer heat, saying that hand sanitizer, alcohol disinfectant sheets and medicated hand soap would be distributed.

Athletes are also asked to maintain social distancing and wear masks, and are offered lounges with air conditioning, water and ice baths. Organizers also provided additional countermeasures for specific sports, such as a water supply for cycling road events and a horse cooling station for equestrian events. Volunteers are to be supplied with salt tablets and cooling items.

To cope with extreme weather conditions, the organizing committee will operate a weather information center at Harumi Triton Headquarters during the Games. All indoor and outdoor venues will be monitored for real-time temperature, humidity, wind speed and heat index, and urgent updates will be sent in the event of incoming typhoons or thunderstorms.

Postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics will open in five days' time on July 23.