Tokyo 2020 Paralympic organisers have warned fans ahead of the upcoming Games that it will take place in a 'very difficult situation' amid a surge in Covid cases.
Cases have soared in Japan recently, with the Olympics having taken place in uncertain times as well, and daily cases in the country surpassed 25,000 for the first time on Thursday.
This alarming number comes just five days before the Paralympics - which runs until September 5 - get underway in Tokyo.
Reports from Japan have claimed that local hospitals are restricting treatment of Paralympians at the moment, with the Asahi newspaper stating that domestic patients will be prioritised over athletes who have been taken ill at the Games.
The worrying surge has put hospitals close to capacity, meaning the country's health service are under immense pressure to deal with the worsening situation.
"The infection situation today is different to how it was before the Olympics. It has deteriorated," Tokyo 2020 official Hidemasa Nakamura told the BBC just days before the flagship event starts.
"Looking at the medical situation, we cannot help but say we will hold the Paralympics in the middle of a very difficult situation," added Nakamura.
"The local medical system is also in a very tight situation.
"Para athletes, compared to Olympic athletes, risk having even more serious symptoms, so we need to be even more careful."
The Olympics took place under severe restrictions, and the exact same can be said about the Paralympics too with spectators barred from events - including the flame lighting ceremony on Friday.
The Paralympians will be tested frequently to keep a check on cases, and they will be restricted travel wise, sticking to set venues and the athletes village.
With just five days to go ahead of the summer's Games, there have been 86 positive tests among those in and around the Paralympic base - with most of these coming among Japan-based employees and contractors.
The Paralympics will run until September 5 - with around 4,400 athletes from approximately 160 teams set to take part.
That number is less than a third of that for the Olympics, which finished on August 8.
