(Reuters) -A record 103 optimistic COVID-19 cases have been discovered amongst gamers and employees in the Premier League over the past week, the league mentioned on Monday following a raft of fixture postponements throughout the busy festive interval.
“The League can right now verify that between Monday 20 December and Sunday 26 December, 15,186 COVID-19 checks have been administered on gamers and membership employees. Of these, there have been 103 new optimistic cases,” the league mentioned in a press release https://www.premierleague.com/information/2211279.
The determine has steadily elevated in latest weeks with 42 cases between Dec. 6-12 and 90 testing optimistic between Dec. 13-19.
The Premier League has had 15 video games postponed thus far as a consequence of COVID-19 outbreaks at numerous golf equipment.
Watford, who’ve had three video games referred to as off thus far, mentioned they had welcomed again gamers who have been beforehand isolating however added extra had examined optimistic forward of Tuesday’s residence sport in opposition to West Ham United.
Watford supervisor Claudio Ranieri mentioned he must carry in some Under-23 gamers as they held their first “regular coaching session” since Dec. 10.
“It’s tough to say if we’re prepared (and) 100%. When you meet your gamers for one coaching session, it is very tough to do that,” Ranieri advised reporters.
“There are some gamers who did not make some coaching classes… I feel these gamers haven’t got (what it takes to play) 90 minutes.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers, who had Tuesday’s journey to Arsenal postponed, mentioned they had six confirmed cases in the primary group.
“We hope a few of these gamers can be properly sufficient to return for our sport in opposition to Manchester United on third January,” Wolves mentioned in a press release https://www.wolves.co.uk/information/first-team/20211227-a-first-team-injury-and-covid-19-update.
“Our operations group have organized a deep clear of the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground to attempt to stop additional an infection.”
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru;Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Christian Radnedge)
