Premier League returns highest number of positive Covid tests this season
The Premier League has recorded its highest number of positive coronavirus tests this season, after Everton v Manchester City was called off on Monday evening.
Between December 21 and 27, 1,479 players and club staff were tested and of those 18 individuals who have the virus will now self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
A number of those cases are at Manchester City after an outbreak there saw their game with Everton called off at four hours’ notice on Monday. Forward Gabriel Jesus and defender Kyle Walker are among those who tested positive nearly four days ago.
Elsewhere, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes is also self-isolating after returning a positive Covid-19 test on Monday.
The previous highest number of cases this season was 16, during the week of November 9 to 15.
Sheffield United have announced that “a number” of players are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.
The Blades, who face Burnley in the Premier League on Tuesday evening, said in a statement: “Sheffield United can confirm the club recorded a number of positive coronavirus tests after the latest round of testing.
“Due to medical confidentiality, the club will not be revealing the names of those who have been affected.
“The individuals who have tested positive have now entered into a period of self-isolation in accordance with Premier League and Government guidelines.”
A Premier League statement read: “The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 21 December and Sunday 27 December, 1,479 players and Club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were 18 new positive tests.
“Players or club staff who have tested positive will self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
“The Premier League is providing this aggregated information for the purposes of competition integrity and transparency. No specific details as to clubs or individuals will be provided by the League and results will be made public after each round of testing.”
City’s trip to Goodison Park was the second Premier League game of the season to be called off owing to Covid-19 after Newcastle’s game with Aston Villa was also wiped out last month.
Newcastle forward Allan Saint-Maximin is said to still be recovering from the effects of the virus, having last played against Chelsea on November 21. Reports suggest he may miss most of January as he continues his recovery.
City will begin retesting their squad on Tuesday in the hope they have acted quickly enough to prevent a widespread outbreak of the disease.
They closed their training complex on Monday after reporting “a number of positive cases”, three days after Walker and Jesus tested positive and were forced to isolate.
The spike in cases, an increase of 11 from the previous week’s testing, will cause concern about the prospect of more disruption across English football.
Eight games across the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two on Tuesday have been wiped out because of the virus, while Rotherham boss Paul Warne said his side are only playing their match with Barnsley to avoid a possible points deduction by the EFL.
Rochdale are one of the clubs in League One whose next two games have been postponed and their club doctor Wes Tensel suggests it is time for the Football League to be suspended.
He told BBC 5 Live: “The spread and the numbers are rising and we have Tier 4 places where people cannot travel but we have players coming in and taking things back to their family, it is probably not the wisest thing at the moment.
“As well as a team doctor I am a GP so I am seeing both sides, so it seems there is a bigger picture going on.
“Why should football go on when other industries can’t and the disease is spreading?”