Guarded optimism for PBA amid first suspected coronavirus case
THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) remains hopeful that the first suspected coronavirus case in its tournament “bubble” in Pampanga turns out to be false positive.
This, after a referee who tested positive in a reverse transcription polymerase reaction ( RT- PCR) test early this week yielded a negative result after the conduct of antigen testing Wednesday afternoon at a quarantine facility in Capas, Tarlac.
Earlier on Wednesday, the league reported that a game official tested positive for the virus after undergoing a swab test on Monday, the result of which came out on Tuesday night.
The person under monitoring was tested along with 27 others, but was the only one who yielded a positive result.
It was the fourth coronavirus test for the referee, second inside the bubble, aside from the two tests before entering Clark, all of which came out negative.
The referee reportedly was not showing any symptoms of the virus, but as part of health and safety protocols of the league, he was immediately extracted from the Quest Hotel inside the Mimosa complex for quarantine.
First and second layer contacts of the person under monitoring have been identified and asked to isolate themselves. They will be retested on Saturday, Oct. 24.
With the negative antigen test result of the referee, the PBA is hoping that it was just a case of false positive, or “when someone does not have the coronavirus, tests positive for it.”
The referee will remain in the quarantine facility for further observation and set to be subjected to another RT- PCR test to confirm the negative antigen result.
Given the development, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial urged the PBA family inside the Clark not to let its guard down, continuing to be mindful of the protocols in place so as not to compromise the bubble.
He moved to reassure that there was nothing to worry about and the league was dealing with the situation accordingly.
“We would like to assure the public that the integrity of the bubble has not been compromised. Protocols have not been breached,” he said.
The PBA reopened its coronavirus pandemic-hit season on Oct. 11 after getting government nod under a bubble setup in Clark City, where all the participants are holed up for the duration of the tournament, lasting at least two months.