Three players from Bulawayo City Football Club have tested positive for Covid-19 after the football team went for coronavirus tests in preparation for the resumption of the domestic top-flight league.
Bulawayo province has been recording a majority of new Covid-19 cases and has the highest number of active cases countrywide.
Bulawayo City Football Club undertook Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests on October 15, 2020 and were later informed by the City’s Department of Health Services that three of their players had tested positive.
The trio are said to be now in isolation as prescribed by health officials.
“From the on-going exercise we are reliably informed by the City Department of Health Services, that three tested positive and have been secured,” said the football team in a statement released by its Marketing and Media Office.
However, the team said it was still awaiting receipts of the official test results and would have to protect the affected individual’s names.
“In line with public health information data protection, and data privacy having been taken into consideration, we await receipt of the official Test results. We therefore are unable to disclose the names of the affected individuals. We have encouraged affected individuals to follow local protocols by self-isolating and working with health officials,” Bulawayo City said.
Reports claimed the affected included a goalkeeper and a player registered in the Under-20 development.
The football club said it would continue to take preventative measures at its premises to minimise risk.
“As Bulawayo City Football Club players remain at the centre of what we do, and stand for as a Club. We shall continue to practice Covid-19 protocols as guided by PSL regulations and emphasize mask wearing at all times, social distancing, washing of hands with soap and alcohol based detergents at our premises,” said the football club.
The Club as a precautionary measure has also decided to send secretariat staff on self-isolation and are to work from home with immediate effect.
As of October 19, 2020, Zimbabwe recorded 8 159 confirmed Covid-19 cases with 7 683 recoveries and 232 deaths.
564 PCR tests were done for the day and 12 new cases were reported with one death that occurred in Bulawayo.
The seven-day rolling average for new Covid-19 cases also went up to 20 from the previous 19.
