Tsukahara Released From Hospital After Coronavirus Treatment

Hospitalized since Mar. 30 after contracting the novel coronavirus, 2008 Beijing Olympics men's 4x100 m silver medalist Naoki Tsukahara, 34, has been released from the hospital. According to a spokesperson for Fujitsu, where Tsukahara is employed as an advisor to its track and field field, following the completion of his treatment Tsukahara was discharged on Apr. 12. He is now resting at home.

Tsukahara appeared at as a special guest instructor at a track and field workshop event in Mie on Mar. 28. He began to feel sick a few hours after the event and went to a local hospital to be examined. When his fever did not go down the next day a PCR was conducted, and on the 30th he was found to have contracted the virus.

Despite Fujitsu policy not to reveal the names of infected employees, Tsukahara insisted that his name be disclosed in order to help prevent further spread. Fujitsu team members include Tokyo Olympics men's marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura and 2019 Doha World Championships men's 50 km race walk gold medalist Yusuke Suzuki, but according to team management Tsukahara had not been in contact with any of the team's athletes in the two weeks prior to confirmation of his infection.

Tsukahara did visit Fujitsus Kawasaki factory from Mar. 23 to Mar. 25. At that time he was with former Hakone Ekiden mountain stage star Ryuji Kashiwabara, 30, but Kashiwabara has shown no symptoms of infection and is currently working from home, according to the company spokesperson.

source article:
https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/athletics/news/202004140000201.html
translated by Brett Larner