Tokyo reports record daily Covid cases as virus spreads in Olympic host city

Number of new infections in capital hits new high of 2,848

Tokyo reported a record daily number of Covid cases on Tuesday as the virus spreads in the Olympic host city.

The number of new infections record a high of 2,848 on day 4 of the Games, official figures showed, exceeding the earlier record of 2,520 cases from 7 January.

That was double Monday’s figure of 1,429, which itself was almost double the number on the same day a week earlier.

It takes the total number of cases in Tokyo, which is under its fourth state of emergency, to more than 200,000 since the pandemic began last year.

Tuesday’s figure also marked the eighth day in a row that Tokyo has recorded more than 1,000 reported cases. Other prefectures outside the capital have reported record levels of infections in recent days.

Hospitals in Tokyo are making more beds available for Covid patients in response to the surging case rates, Japanese media reported.

Fears about a surge in Covid cases in Japan linked to the competition have threatened to overshadow the Games and led to opposition from sections of the Japanese public to the country hosting the spectacle.

Olympics visitors have already brought fast-spreading variants of the virus into a nation that is only approaching 25 per cent fully vaccinated.

Olympics organisers reported 16 new Games-related cases on Monday, bringing the total since 1 July to 148.

Several athletes have had to withdraw from their fixtures after becoming infected and organisers have decided to bar spectators from most venues as a Covid precaution.

Medals are presented on a tray due to Covid protocols and judges, coaches and other officials must wear masks.