Tokyo Olympics 2021: Three Covid deaths in Tokyo as cases spike

As the Tokyo Olympics continue, the WHO has issued a new warning as Japan had 4,058 new coronavirus cases and three deaths.

As the Tokyo Olympics continue, Japan has seen 4,058 new coronavirus cases on Saturday in its capital where three people have died from the virus.

The three deaths, reported in the Japan Times, also come as the World Health Organisation said that Japan was doing its best to minimise the risk of Covid-19 spreading during the Tokyo Olympics but stressed there was no such thing as zero risk.

The WHO’s warning came as Japan extended a virus state of emergency in Tokyo and expanded the measure to four more regions as it battles a record surge in infections a week into the pandemic-postponed Games.

“There is no zero risk. There could be less or more risk. And then, for things to happen with low risk, you try your best,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference from the UN health agency’s Geneva headquarters.

A woman prepares to photograph her dog next to the Olympic Rings in Tokyo as new coronavirus cases surge. Picture: Getty Images

Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) “did their best to minimise risk, because nobody should expect zero risk”, he said.

“I know that they have done their best, and we have supported them all along.”

The new cases came a day after Tokyo saw 3,300 new infections and surpassed the record of 3,865 cases set just two days ago as the Delta variant continues to spread.

The seven-day average of new cases in the capital came to 2,920.0 cases, compared with 1,345.7 a week earlier.

The Olympics are being held in front of largely empty stadiums. Picture: AFP

Across Japan, new virus cases topped 10,000 for the first time on Thursday.

Tedros went to the Olympics opening ceremony and also addressed the IOC in Tokyo.

On Friday he called on the world to draw on the Olympic spirit of unity to bring the pandemic to an end, and said his IOC speech was aimed at using the Games as the biggest platform to spread the message.

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021: Three Covid deaths in Tokyo as cases spike