TOKYO: The Japan Sumo Association said Friday that a sumo wrestler has been infected with the novel coronavirus.

The wrestler, in the "makushita" third-highest professional sumo division or below, is the first member of the association to be confirmed infected with the virus.

He tested negative for the virus on Wednesday after having a fever and undergoing a simple check. But a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, screening for COVID-19, conducted at a Tokyo hospital, confirmed that he is a virus carrier.

Sumo wrestlers and others who belong to the association and the sumo stable of the infected wrestler have exhibited no symptoms and are staying at their homes or the stable. There are no reports of any member of the association other than the infected competitor feeling unwell.

"I acutely feel that infectious diseases are not unrelated to us but exist close to us," said Shibatayama, the association's public relations chief and former yokozuna Onokuni.

The association had already postponed the opening of the summer grand tournament by two weeks to May 24 following the spread of the virus.

Shibatayama said that the association will fix a direction for the event later.

JIJI Press