100 days to go until Tokyo Olympics; Germany to give different second vaccine to AstraZeneca recipients under 60; India confirms 184,000 cases in 24 hours
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When Japan won the bid to host the Olympic Games eight years ago, it billed Tokyo as a reliable and secure location, contrasting it with rivals struggling with finances and political instability, Reuters reports.
But 100 days before the start of the Olympics, the organisers face a deluge of challenges and growing uncertainty as the pandemic rages around the world, affecting decisions on everything from athlete safety to spectator numbers to ticket sales.
The biggest headache is the resurgent coronavirus, with countries like India and Brazil battling new variants and a fresh rise in cases. In Japan, vaccinations have been the slowest among developed economies, as Tokyo has lurched in and out of soft lockdowns. Infections are on the rise, and experts worry the city is on the cusp of an “explosive” jump in cases.
As a result, foreign spectators have been barred, parts of the torch relay have been re-routed, and the organisers are yet to decide what to do with the domestic audience. This has caused major challenges for sports venues and travel agencies, already grappling with restrictions to block the virus.
India has confirmed a national one-day record of 184,000 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours, according to government ministry figures. The previous record was 168,900 cases in a single day.
The country’s infection total now stands at 13.87 million.
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