South Africa player contracts COVID-19 ahead of England series

Cricket South Africa has confirmed that one player has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus ahead of the series with England.

According to the details, England and South Africa are all set to take on each other three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals starting on November 27 behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, before a single ball is bowled, the virus has already struck. The player and two others considered to be close contacts by South African team medical staff have all been placed in isolation in Cape Town. All are asymptomatic but doctors will continue to monitor them, Cricket South Africa said in a statement.

“CSA`s medical team will monitor them to ensure their health and well-being. CSA can confirm that approximately 50 COVID-19 PCR tests were performed on players and support staff prior to entering the bio-safe environment in Cape Town for their upcoming limited-overs tour against England. The testing is in line with fulfilling the organization’s obligation and commitment to its duty of care to its team and to the broader public in controlling the spread of the virus,” said the statement.