A 28-year-old sumo wrestler died in Japan on Wednesday after contracting coronavirus and suffering multiple organ failure, becoming the ancient sport's first COVID-19 fatality, the national association said. Shobushi, a lower-ranking wrestler belonging to the Takadagawa stable in Tokyo, died early Wednesday after battling the disease for more than a month.

He developed a fever over April 4-5 but had trouble contacting the local public health office because phone lines were constantly busy, the Sumo Association said in a statement. He was then turned away by several hospitals before finally being admitted to a Tokyo hospital on the evening of April 8 after he started coughing up blood, it added. An initial coronavirus test there came back negative but he then tested positive on April 10 after being transferred to another hospital, where he was placed in intensive care on April 19. Sumo association chief Hakkaku, who uses a single name, said the news was devastating. "We cannot find any words to say when we think about the broken hearts of his family.