The Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee announced on Thursday a record in daily cases in the Olympics bubble, with 24 positives.

Pole vaulters Sam Kendricks of the USA who is the world champion, Argentinian Germán Chiaraviglio and one other athlete were reported to have contracted the disease in the vicinity of the Games village. This has threw officials into a panic mood.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in both Japan and Tokyo reached all-time highs of 9,583 and 3,865 cases reported on Wednesday, respectively.

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International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams stressed that athletes and staff are frequently tested and live under strict quarantine measures, making it highly unlikely that the Tokyo Games will become a source of infections spread to the general population.

However, health experts warn that the rise in COVID-19 cases is putting increasing pressure on the medical system, and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s government is considering expanding the state of emergency to three prefectures surrounding Tokyo.

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