Tokyo infections hit six-month high ahead of Olympics

Tokyo is experiencing a six-month high in coronavirus infections with the Olympics set to begin on Friday.

The city recorded 1,832 new cases on Wednesday, further exacerbating concerns the Games will cause a spike in cases, The Associated Press reported.

“What we have worried about is now actually happening,” Japan Medical Association President Toshio Nakagawa said.

“The surge in cases has been expected whether we have the Olympics or not, and we are afraid that there will be an explosive increase in cases regardless of the Olympics,” Nakagawa added.

Tokyo is already under a state of emergency due to the virus that will last until Aug. 22, well after the Olympics, which were postponed last year due to the pandemic, have concluded.

The head of the organizing committee for the Games, Toshiro Muto, said on Tuesday the committee has not ruled out canceling them altogether if the coronavirus situation worsens. 

“We can’t predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases. So we will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases,” Muto said. “We have agreed that based on the coronavirus situation, we will convene five-party talks again. At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises.”

The rise in cases comes as only 22 percent of the country is fully vaccinated and younger people have not yet received the vaccine.

However, 85 percent of athletes and officials living in the Olympic Village are fully vaccinated.