THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
May 13, 2020 at 18:46 JST
The Spring Grand Sumo Tournament was held in Osaka in March without spectators due to the new coronavirus outbreak. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Japan's sumo world announced its first death from the novel coronavirus on May 13.
Shobushi, a 28-year-old wrestler from Yamanashi Prefecture, died of multiple organ failure at a hospital in Tokyo, the Japan Sumo Association said.
The wrestler, whose real name was Kiyotaka Suetake, was in the third lowest division and a member of the Takadagawa stable.
Shobushi experienced a fever after returning to Tokyo from Osaka where the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament was held in March, and was coughing up bloody phlegm.
On April 10, it was announced to media that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Shobushi was diabetic, which probably hampered his ability to fight the virus as his condition worsened in intensive care, according to sources.
Six others in sumo, including the Takadagawa stable master and Hakuyozan, a wrestler in the second-highest division, have tested positive for the virus to date, but displayed only mild symptoms.
All have since tested negative and were discharged from hospitals at the end of April.
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