Four of the 12 provinces hosting events of the 31st Southeast Asian Games have recorded new COVID-19 cases this week.
The provinces of Haiphong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Quang Ninh are among those most affected by the pandemic.
Authorities in Vietnam took note of this after they recorded 79 more local COVID-19 cases in nine localities Friday morning.
With the number of cases rising to 11,014, the preparation of the staging of around 16 events of the biennial meet is expected to be affected.
Among the events that will be directly affected are canoeing and rowing, which will be held in Haiphong. Bac Ninh, which will host boxing, kickboxing, handball and tennis, is also reporting an outbreak, along with Bac Giang, which will provide a venue for badminton.
There are also reports of virus cases in Quang Ninh, which will have events held in women’s football, volleyball, chess, beach volleyball, beach handball, beach soccer, triathlon and xiangqi.
The country is already is experiencing a fourth COVID-19 wave, which authorities consider as the most challenging, after it began on April 27 and with infections emerging in 47 of 63 cities and provinces.
This is this the reason why Vietnamese organizers are asking for more time to decide on whether the 31st SEA Games will go on as scheduled in November or if it will be postponed for next year.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said they will respect the decision of the organizers once they have made up their minds.
A final decision will be known when the SEA Games Federation Council and the organizers meet anew on July 8. Peter Atencio
