A member of the BCCI‘s medical commission who is in UAE for IPL 2020 has tested positive coronavirus. This takes the number of confirmed cases in the IPL to 14.
The previous 13 positives cases had all come from the Chennai Super Kings camp, which included players Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaekwad.
The member of the medical commission is reportedly asymptomatic and has been put in quarantine. The total number of new positive cases in UAE on Wednesday was 735.
“There is one positive case in the BCCI contingent. I can’t tell you whether it’s from cricket operations team or the medical team. But testing is on and everyone else is healthy and asymptomatic,” a senior IPL official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“There is no cause for concern,” he added.
However, another PTI source said that the person, who has tested positive, is a member of the national team’s support staff and is here to keep a tab on the centrally-contracted players.
The recent spate in cases in the IPL has raised apprehensions about holding the tournament. Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood, who will play for the Chennai Super Kings this season, had expressed concerns about flying out to UAE.
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New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who will be flying out to join the Sunrisers Hyderabad, also spoke about the need to remain vigilant during these times.
“Obviously that’s bad news,” Williamson told Radio New Zealand on Wednesday. “You don’t want to hear anybody (has) COVID.
“I hear they are predominantly asymptomatic, so hopefully through another lockdown period, they can come through and we’ll be okay.
“There’s a little bit of apprehension, certainly as you get nearer to the time … you start thinking you do have to be extremely vigilant and disciplined.”
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Williamson added that he was pleased all of the teams in the IPL would be placed in separate hotels.
Players have also been warned about breaching their bio-security bubble during the tournament, that starts on September 19.