KANAZAWA, Ishikawa Pref. (Kyodo) Three Russians taking part in a figure skating show have come down with the swine flu, it was confirmed Sunday.
The municipal government in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, said that a woman in her 20s and a man and woman in their 30s were in stable condition and resting at their hotel.
The city said none of them required hospitalization. They were described as performers and show staff.
Local officials asked eight other people taking part in the show who were in close contact with the three to refrain from going out in public or participating in the show.
Popular Japanese skaters such as Shizuka Arakawa, a 2006 Olympic gold medalist, Nobunari Oda and 2007 world champion Miki Ando were taking part in the show. They were not among those who had been in close contact with the three people with swine flu, show organizers said.
One performance was held Saturday and another was to be held as scheduled on Sunday. According to the local officials, the three Russian participants arrived at Narita International Airport on Wednesday. They are the first people in Kanazawa confirmed to have the new H1N1 flu virus.