COVID-19 Cases Surge In Japan putting Olympic Games in jeopardy

The 2020 Olympics may be in jeopardy yet again.

Reports reaching this newspaper indicates that the Olympics could be in danger after a spike in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo which has led to a state of emergency.

Because of the recent surge, IOC president Thomas Bach canceled his trip to the country.

The Olympics were originally scheduled for last year before the coronavirus pandemic caused the world to come to a screeching halt.

Health officials in Japan are concerned the current 4th wave of the infection contains a variant that is spreading very fast and impacting a relatively large number of young people.

The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics is less than two months away, but plenty of questions remain about how host nation Japan will manage the large-scale event despite public health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Olympics should be stopped,” said Akira Takasu, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital head of emergency. ” … This may be a trigger for another disaster this summer.”

U.S. State Department advises against travel to Japan 

The U.S. State Department raised Japan to “Level 4 – do not travel” on Monday due to COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated a “very high” level of coronavirus and recommended not traveling to the country. 

A change.org petition for cancellation of the Olympics garnered more than 350,000 signatures in just nine days, a record pace for the forum’s Japan version, the campaign organiser said.

It was submitted to the chiefs of the Olympic and Paralympic committees, as well as Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

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