Covid check: Two South African footballers test positive for virus

Tokyo, July 18 Two South African footballers right-back Thabiso Monyane and mid-fielder Kamohelo Mahlatsi have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus inside the Olympic Village on Sunday.

Earlier, the video analyst accompanying the South African team, Mario Masha, had tested positive on arrival at the airport in Tokyo. The rest of the members in the team are under quarantine and awaiting the results of further tests.

South Africa will open their Olympic campaign against Japan on July 22.

"We have three positive cases of COVID-19 in the camp here, two players and an official. There is daily screening. Masha and Monyane reported high temperatures and positive saliva tests, and were then taken to do the nasal test… and they unfortunately tested positive for Covid-19. Mahlatsi is the latest player to go through the same process," team manager Mxolisi Sibam told The Guardian.

Sibam further said that the team has been quarantined till it is cleared to train, which will happen after the test results later on Sunday.

"This unfortunate situation has made us miss our first intensive training session last night (Saturday)," added Sibam.

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With five days left for the Olympics to begin, the news of positive cases in the Village is a huge cause of concern.

The Olympics are being held without spectators and under tight quarantine and testing rules. Tokyo, currently under a state of emergency, has registered 1,000 new cases for four consecutive days.