Tokyo (AFP)

Health measures taken at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, whether it be the frequency of Covid tests or travel restrictions, will be tightened in the face of the record wave of infections in Japan, organizers announced on Sunday two days away. of the opening ceremony

Already bound by health rules like their counterparts at the Olympics, which ended two weeks earlier, such as wearing a mask or daily tests for athletes, participants in the Paralympic Games will be subject to "new necessary precautionary measures", Tokyo 2020 general manager Toshiro Muto said on Sunday.

The staff of the Paralympic Village who reside in Japan, currently subjected to tests every four days, will for example be tested daily now in response to the multiplication of cases.

Indeed, the organizers of the Olympic Games have reported 547 cases related to the Olympics since July 1, but there are already 131 cases among participants in the Paralympic Games even before their start.

Japan has recorded more than 25,000 daily cases across the country in recent days, despite the state of emergency established in several regions, including Tokyo.

In addition, the rule allowing certain participants to use public transport and to move freely after 14 days of restrictions will be removed.

"We ask them to take their meals in the facilities located inside the Olympic venues or in the hotels where they stay, eating alone and without speaking," said Mr. Muto.

"As for the places they can visit, we ask them to limit them to places listed on their work program," he added.

Most of the people related to the Paralympic Games who have tested positive so far are members of the Games organization or contractors residing in Japan.

Although four athletes and ten members of the media have also tested positive.

The overall coronavirus epidemic in Japan remains relatively low compared to some hard-hit countries, with a death toll of around 15,500, without taking radical containment measures.

But the rollout of the vaccine in the country got off to a slow start, and policymakers have since flocked to get residents vaccinated, with around 40% of the population fully vaccinated.

© 2021 AFP