AND IT BEGINS

First COVID-19 Case Confirmed in Tokyo’s Olympic Village

There have been 44 positive COVID-19 cases among Olympic officials since the committee started tracking infections earlier this month.

The first positive COVID-19 case within Tokyo’s Olympic Village has been detected. Olympic officials would not confirm who the player was, but said it was someone who traveled from abroad and was a “Games-concerned personnel.” They’re currently quarantining in a hotel room, officials said, but there is no word on their condition. The person is the 44th Olympics-affiliated person to contract the virus, which has struck individuals across operations teams, media and athletes. The Olympics are set to begin on July 23 amid a state of emergency in Tokyo. Fans are barred from attending games amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country.

The positive case also indicates the rising fear of a virus outbreak in the “bubbled” Olympics. WNBA player Liz Cambage, who was set to play with Australia’s women's basketball team, withdrew from the Games Friday due to fears over the secluded nature of the unusual Olympics.