Among the players who tested positive for the coronavirus is the captain of the national men's hockey team, Manpreet Singh. The diagnosis came after testing was conducted upon their arrival at the Sports Authority of India’s National Center of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru for training. Joining the captain in testing positive were Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, and Varun Kumar, all of whom had just returned from home leave.
The national men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh is among the four players to have tested positive for coronavirus as they underwent testing after reaching the Sports Authority of India’s National Center of Excellence (NCOE) for their training in Bengaluru as of late. Apart from the skipper his teammates, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh and Varun Kumar, who returned after a home break have likewise been tested positive for the disease.
As a precaution, the SAI required all athletes returning from their break to undergo a rapid COVID-19 screening as soon as they reached the national camp. Given that the four infected players had traveled together, there is a strong chance they contracted the virus from one another on the way to Bengaluru. Because they were identified as positive before officially entering the facility, the SAI successfully avoided a potential outbreak among the rest of the camp.
Initially, all four players had received negative results from their rapid tests. However, when Manpreet and Surender started exhibiting symptoms, the authorities ordered a more precise Quantitative RT-PCR test on Thursday for ten players, including the four who traveled together. This second round of testing confirmed that the four players were positive. The medical team is still waiting for the results of the other athletes. While the official reports haven't been formally delivered to the SAI yet, state government officials have already alerted the SAI to the results, allowing them to quickly implement the necessary safety protocols.
After testing positive, Manpreet released a statement confirming that he has entered self-isolation. He expressed his gratitude for how the SAI handled the situation and mentioned he was relieved that testing was mandatory for all players, as this timely decision allowed the virus to be detected early. Manpreet reassured the public that he is feeling well and is strictly following his recovery plan. To ensure the virus doesn't spread further, all positive players have been quarantined in accordance with the Health Ministry's guidelines and the SOPs set by the state government and the SAI. They will continue to be monitored and tested throughout their treatment.