Coronavirus cases at Tokyo Olympics climb over 250

TOKYO

A total of 259 people accredited for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have contracted the coronavirus, organizers said Sunday.

The organization committee confirmed that 18 additional people, including staff and officials, tested positive for the virus, bringing the number of infections at the Games to 259.

No athlete competing has contracted COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the committee said, while adding that the newly infected went into quarantine.

The 2020 Olympics hoped to welcome spectators after being postponed last year due to the pandemic but ended up holding competitions in empty venues because of the newly resurgent virus.

*Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara.