A member of the Ugandan Olympic squad has became the first athlete to test positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Japan for the competition due to start on 23 July.

The event was postponed last year, but now will go ahead despite fresh wave of Covid-19 cases in Japan.

Uganda is also experiencing a surge in cases, which forced the government to tighten lockdown measures on Friday.

The Ugandan, who is part of nine-member squad to the Olympics was fully vaccinated, according to reports.

The group – which included boxers, coaches, and officials – tested negative before leaving Uganda.

However, one of them tested positive when they arrived Tokyo Narita airport on Saturday, and is currently quarantined at a government-designated facility, local media quote Japanese officials as saying.

The rest of the squad traveled by chartered bus to Osaka, in western Japan, where they will train ahead of the Games.

The Ugandans are the second group of foreign athletes to arrive for training ahead of the competition. Australia women softball squad arrived on 1 June.

Foreigners who want to travel to watch the Olympics are banned. On Monday they will take the decision on whether to allow domestic spectators.

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Large numbers of condoms have been given out at the Games since the 1988 Seoul Olympics to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, and organizers said the International Olympic Committee had requested their continued distribution.

But athletes have been told to keep their distance from each other, meaning fewer opportunities to mingle and more.

“The distribution of condoms is not for use at the athlete’s village, but to have athletes take them back to their home countries to raise awareness” of HIV and AIDS issues, said Tokyo 2020 in an emailed response to questions by Reuters.

Officials have already barred overseas spectators and are asking those who do attend the delayed event to show their support by clapping rather than cheering or singing to try and reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Dining has become another issue to resolve.

Organizers were originally planning to feed residents of the village in vast dining halls – the largest one with a capacity to seat 4,500 people at once.

But now, the organizers will ask athletes to dine alone, maintain social distancing with others, and wipe down surfaces after eating.

“Without the proper measures in place, it will only take one person to bring in the virus and spread it, especially in places like the athlete village,” Nobuhiko Okabe, one of the infectious disease specialists advising Tokyo 2020 on its coronavirus measures said at a news conference on Friday.

“We have to do what we can to make sure an outbreak doesn’t happen, and we really need the cooperation of all the athletes and delegations to make this work,” he added.

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