DOUSE THE TORCH

World’s Oldest Person Ditches Olympic Relay Because She’s Worried About Spreading COVID

Kane Tanaka, 118, has decided that taking part would be too risky after a cluster of cases were linked to the event.

The world’s oldest person has backed out of the Olympic torch relay in Japan after a small cluster of cases was linked back to the event. At 118 years—and 123 days—Kane Tanaka is the third oldest person ever confirmed to have existed in the history of the world. She was due to take part in the Olympic torch relay but has decided that it would be too risky after eight coronavirus cases were recorded among other relay participants. According to Sky News, an Olympic official said: “We received an email from her family which said she wanted to withdraw from the relay as she and her family were concerned about spreading the virus at the nursing home.” The Tokyo Olympics is due to start on July 23, but a surge in coronavirus cases in the country has cast doubt on whether it will go ahead as planned. Reuters reported Wednesday that the Japanese government is mulling an extension to the current state of emergency in Tokyo.