COVID-19: Professional footballer tests positive in Thailand

A professional football player tested positive for COVID-19 here yesterday, just a day before the Thai League 1 is set to resume matches.

The Public Health Ministry's Medical Science Department director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the 29-year-old Buriram United Football Club midfielder who is from Uzbekistan arrived in Thailand on Aug 13, and had completed a 14-day compulsory quarantine.

He said the player tested positive during pre-season tests prior to the matches resuming today.

“A total of 1,115 individuals including referees, players and people involved with Thai League 1 and 2 were tested. One player (from Uzbekistan) tested positive while the rest are negative,” he said at a press conference today.

Health authorities have identified 43 individuals including Buriram Football Club staff and team members as close contacts of the positive case, and they are currently undergoing a 14-day quarantine.

Communicable Disease Division director Dr Sophon Iamsirithavorn said health authorities will continue to trace the contacts of the new patient.

Following the case, three matches in Thai League and Thai League 2 will be postponed pending further tests.

Meanwhile, the Head of Chulalongkorn University's Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology Dr Yong Puworawan said the incubation period for the man could have been longer than 14 days.

“It is unlikely he was infected domestically. I believe that he might have been infected abroad, (before) arriving (in) Thailand,” he said.

Thailand has recorded 3,462 COVID-19 cases to date, with 58 fatalities.