Bournemouth player tests positive for coronavirus

LONDON: The Premier League club said on Sunday an unnamed Bournemouth player tested positive for coronavirus.

He became the eighth case involving an English top-flight side.

Bournemouth added the player’s identity would not be disclosed due to “medical confidentiality” and that he would self-isolate for seven days.

“Following strict adherence to the Premier League’s return to training regulations, the club’s training ground remains a safe working environment for players and backroom staff, who will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice per week,” Bournemouth said in a statement.

The Premier League announced that there were positive tests at two clubs out of 996 tests conducted on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

The other positive was at a different club which has not been named.

That followed a first round of testing that produced six positive findings announced on May 19 at three Premier League clubs from a total of 748 players and staff.

Those positives included Watford’s Adrian Mariappa and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan.

For the second round, the number of tests available to each club was increased from 40 to 50.

On Tuesday, squads started non-contact training for the first time since the Premier League was suspended on March 13.

That an increased number of tests has produced fewer positive findings may be a boost to the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’ plan to resume fixtures in June. Clubs are expected to discuss moving to contact training on Tuesday.