Tokyo Olympics could lead to emergence of new virus strain, warns Japanese doctors’ union Chief

The head of a Japanese doctors’ union belives that staging the upcoming Tokyo Olympics could lead to the emergence of an “Olympic” strain of the coronavirus in the country as thousands of people from around the globe would be arriving in the host nation.

Although the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Japan government has vowed to hold a “safe and secure” Olympics in Tokyo, the nation is currently battling the fourth wave of infections and preparing to extend a state of emergency.

With people from more than 200 nations arriving in the host country, it could pose a danger, said Naoto Ueyama, head of the Japan Doctors Union.

“All of the different mutant strains of the virus which exist in different places will be concentrated and gathering here in Tokyo. We cannot deny the possibility of even a new strain of the virus potentially emerging,” Ueyama told a news conference.

“If such a situation were to arise, it could even mean a Tokyo Olympic strain of the virus being named in this way, which would be a huge tragedy and something which would be the target of criticism, even for 100 years,” he added.

News Desk

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