Three athletes among 16 new Covid-19 cases at Tokyo Olympics

The COVID-19 infections associated with the Tokyo Olympics rose to 148 after organisers reported 16 new cases on Monday, including three athletes.

The organisers, in their daily COVID-19 update, announced that three athletes, four contractors, eight Games-concerned personnel and one Games employee have been found to be COVID positive.

All the three athletes are not residents of the Olympic Village, which has reported 16 cases since it was opened.

One Games-connected personnel and a contractor are residents of Japan in the fresh additions.

The three athletes and seven Games-concerned personnel have been put under the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The total number of Games-concerned personnel to have tested positive so far stood at 83 after the addition of 8 new cases.

The contingents that have been hit by COVID-19 after landing in Tokyo include Czech republic, the USA, Chile, South Africa and the Netherlands among others.

Of these, the Czech Republic is inquiring into possible health safety protocol violations by its contingent after four athletes tested positive for the virus, forcing withdrawals from beach volleyball and road cycling events.

On Monday, the organisers urged the media covering the Games to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, saying that they have been "made aware of incidents of alleged non-compliance".

They warned of "disciplinary consequences" for violating laid down rules on health safety precautions.