COVID CRISIS
New positive coronavirus cases rock Boyz camp in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz delegation here was rocked by two new positive novel coronavirus cases late last night following PCR tests administered earlier in the morning.
The new cases include one player and a member of the technical staff.
The results of two other players were under investigation, and they are likely to be retested.
The management of the Holiday Inn hotel here, where the team has been in quarantine since its arrival on Monday, was informed by public health officials and the four individuals involved were immediately isolated in a different wing at the facility as per protocols outlined by the public health officials and the Saudi Arabian Football Association.
All things considered, the remainder of the group — less those individuals who have yet to complete their mandatory 48-hour quarantine period plus a negative PCR test — will move to the Voco Riyadh hotel for the remainder of their team’s stay.
These negative results have left Head Coach Theodore Whitmore in further predicament, powered no doubt by the disjointed manner in which members of the team arrived in Saudi Arabia.
It means that although all the players, except Jeadine White, are now in the country, those who arrived over the past few days will likely be ruled out of the first game until they serve the mandatory 48-hour quarantine plus producing negative PCR test results.
Oneil Fisher and Javon East were the last two to land last night.
Prior to yesterday’s positive cases, Whitmore had faced the possibility of entering tomorrow’s first game without a training session on the pitch and also with no more than 19 of the 24 rostered players.
This number is now reduced by three, and the much-anticipated debut of Ravel Morrison might be delayed as he appears unable to shake off an ankle injury, despite treatment from the medical staff here.
Meanwhile, based on medical advice, the isolation of the affected individuals could be at a different locale from the Holiday Inn hotel.
If the patient is asymptomatic then he will be constantly assessed by Reggae Boyz doctor Bersha Cole and the patient will be allowed to travel after a negative PCR test or based on a medical assessment and local authority health protocol.
If the patient shows symptoms of COVID-19 and requires further medical care, he will be transferred to a designated hospital. Individuals who are confirmed cases have to be retested after three days of the disappearance of the last symptom to assess eligibility to travel.
Dr Cole and his medical staff continue to monitor the group with daily multiple temperature checks and physical examinations for symptoms of COVID-19.
With the late receipt of the PCR test results last night, a planned on-field training session had to be scrapped and the group forced to make do with stretching at the gym.
The Boyz are scheduled to oppose the hosts at 7:30 pm (11:30 am Jamaica time) at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium tomorrow, and again at the same venue and time next Tuesday.
The games are being used as part of preparation for next season’s Concacaf Gold Cup tournament and the Fifa World Cup qualifiers.