Predicting the COVID-19's impact on the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is way too far. (Image via Japan Today)

Summer Olympics is way 'too far': WHO

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Sports & Culture
More Sports
Feb 19, 2020
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While the confirmed cases of human-to-human infection of the novel coronavirus without prior travel records to China, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it is “too early” to conclude whether the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo should be moved or canceled.

The WHO itself had declared PHEIC status that requires coordinated measures from global governments. Tokyo organizers and the International Olympic Committee said that they have no contingency plans nor plans to cancel the Summer Olympics.

Looking ahead of the Summer Olympics from July to August, the WHO Health Emergencies Program chief, Michael Ryan, said that it is way too far away to consider whether the COVID-19, the official name of the novel coronavirus, would threaten the major sports event.

Since COVID-19 emerged in December, WHO has been in regular contact with the IOC. Ryan said that instead of judgments, WHO will work closely with IOC in the coming weeks and months ahead of the Summer Olympics.

In China, the ground zero of the outbreak, the death toll rose to almost 1,900 on Tuesday with more than 72,000 confirmed cases. The viral outbreak caused some sports event in the Middle Kingdom to be canceled, postponed, or moved. That included the qualifying events for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

There is a concern that China might not be able to attend the Olympics.

Source: https://bit.ly/37AvPWR

Medical , Health , Disease , Outbreak , Pulmonary , Pneumonia , Coronavirus , COVID-19 , Sports , Summer-Olympics , 2020 , Asia , Japan , WHO