More COVID cases at Tokyo Olympics

Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday confirmed that a foreign athlete has tested positive for Covid-19 at the Games Athletes' Village this after they announced the first case of a Games volunteer testing positive for the virus along with seven more contractors associated with the event.

The volunteer who has returned a positive test is based in Iwate prefecture.

The total number of Games-related COVID infections has risen to 67 with the addition of nine more cases to the official list. The showpiece opens on July 23 and will go on till August 8.

Games volunteers are directly involved in assisting its operations before, during and after the event. They play an active role in helping create the excitement among fans and assist athletes in managing logistics.

With seven added to the list on Tuesday, the total number of infected contractors associated with the Games has gone up to 36.

On Monday, Czech beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic became the third athlete at the Olympic Games Village to test positive for COVID-19, while an American alternate woman gymnast training in Chiba prefecture also got infected.

This came after South African footballers Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi and video analyst Mario Masha tested positive for the virus on Sunday.

The Games will be held behind closed doors amid tight health safety protocols to try and ensure that they do not end up being a super spreader event as is being widely feared.

Reuters reported that two members of Mexico's Olympic baseball team tested positive for COVID-19 at the team hotel before their departure for the Tokyo Olympics, the country's baseball federation said.

The athletes, Hector Velazquez and Sammy Solis, who tested positive on July 18, have been isolated, as have all team members pending results of more tests, the federation said.