Here are the latest COVID-19 updates from Japan and beyond:
As of 11 p.m., Sunday, July 25
- The International Olympic Committee said Sunday it has relaxed COVID-19 protocols at the Tokyo Olympics to allow medalists to take off their masks for up to 30 seconds on the podium to be photographed.
- The first COVID-19 infection of an athlete at the Tokyo Olympics after competing has been confirmed, games organizers said Sunday, amid public concerns about the further spread of the coronavirus.
- Tokyo, currently hosting the Olympics under a fourth COVID-19 state of emergency, reported Sunday 1,763 new daily coronavirus cases, increasing from 1,128 cases the previous day and exceeding 1,000 for the sixth day in a row.
- Thailand said Sunday its newly confirmed daily infections have surpassed 15,000 for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, just a week after breaching the 10,000 mark.
- Men's golf world No. 1 Jon Rahm of Spain and No. 6 Bryson DeChambeau of the United States will both miss the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for the coronavirus, their respective countries said.
- Ten more people related to the Tokyo Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19 including two athletes from overseas, bringing the total since the beginning of this month to 132, games organizers said Sunday.
As of 11 p.m., Saturday, July 24
- Foreign journalists now in Tokyo for the Olympics have been jumping on the opportunity to join local tours quietly arranged for them by the organizing committee and the metropolitan government amid their COVID-19 restrictions.
- Tokyo, hosting the Olympics under a fourth COVID-19 state of emergency, reported 1,128 new daily coronavirus cases on Saturday, decreasing from 1,359 cases the previous day.
- Seventeen more people linked to the Tokyo Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19, including one athlete, bringing the total since the beginning of this month to 123, games organizers said Saturday.
Japan and beyond: Week in Photos - July 17~23