BCCI medical team member tested positive for COVID-19

It has been confirmed by sources from within the board that a member of the BCCI medical team, who was at the United Arab Emirates overseeing the conduct of the IPL, has tested positive for COVID-19.

The sources said, “It is true, but there is no issue as he (senior medical officer) is asymptomatic and has been kept in isolation. He has not been in contact with anyone and possibly contracted it during his travel to the UAE. He is being monitored and should hopefully be fine in the next round of testing. We also have two people at the NCA who have tested positive and have been kept in isolation.”

ALSO READ: CSK players Deepak Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad tested positive for COVID-19, BCCI delays announcement of IPL schedule

An IPL official said, “There is one positive case in the BCCI contingent. I can’t tell you whether it’s from the cricket operations team or the medical team. But testing is on and everyone else is healthy and asymptomatic.”

It has also been confirmed that other than the BCCI medical team member, two people at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore have also been affected by the virus. 

The BCCI had confirmed just under a week ago that 13 members of a particular squad, which turned out to be the Chennai Super Kings, had tested positive for COVID-19. The BCCI released an official statement which read, “13 personnel have tested positive of which 2 are players. All the affected personnel as well as their close contacts are asymptomatic and have been isolated from other team members. They are being monitored by the IPL Medical Team.” 

ALSO READ: BCCI officially announces Dream11 as title sponsors for this year’s IPL

Two days ago, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan had confirmed that there were no fresh cases within the squad. Everyone except the affected members had returned negative reports. He added, “Those who tested positive earlier will be tested again only after 14 days.”

The IPL is set to start in just over a fortnight’s time. The T20 League, shifted to the UAE due to the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in India, will be played across three venues; Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi.