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Notable sports personalities who have tested positive for Coronavirus

<a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/update-ghanas-covid-19-cases-rise-to-68/nr1c849">Coronavirus </a>which has been declared as pandemic has infested over 400,000 people in the world has some sports personalities on the list of people to test positive for the virus.
Six players
Six players

Several notable players have emerged as some of the people who have tested positive, despite some clubs having decided to hide the identity of their personnel who have contracted the virus for reasons best known to them.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Asamoah Gyan urges Ghanaians to adopt traditional means of healing ‘neem tree’ as precaution (video)

The first sportsman who reportedly contracted the Coronavirus was Juventus and Italy defender Daniele Rugani.

Several other sportsmen have followed suit by testing positive.

Below are some of the notable sportsmen to test positive for Covid-19:

Sportsmen who ply their trade in Italy have been hit heavily by the virus than anywhere else.

Juventus aside Daniele Rugani have two other cases of Coronavirus. France midfielder Blaise Matuidi and Argentina forward Paolo Dyballa are the two other Juventus players to test positive for the Virus.

Still in Italy Manolo Gabbiadini became the first Sampdoria player to contract Coronavirus.

And Sampdoria later announced that four additional players and their club doctor tested positive for COVID-19.

The Italian club-initiated tests after forward Manolo Gabbiadini tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday. 

Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby, as well as club doctor Amedeo Baldari, were confirmed as infected by COVID-19.

AC Milan also disclosed that legendary defender Paolo Maldini, who is now their Director of Sports and his son Daniel who plays for the have both tested positive for coronavirus. 

“Paolo and Daniel are both well and have already completed two weeks at home without contact with others,” read a Milan statement. “They will now remain in quarantine until clinically recovered, as per the medical protocols outlined by the health authorities.”

Another case of Coronavirus in Italy involving a sports person concerns Atlanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiellobeco. He is the first Atalanta player to test positive for coronavirus. 

The 27-year-old, who has made six appearances in all competitions this season, is not showing any h

A statement released by the club on Tuesday evening said: "We hereby inform you that the local health authorities have communicated today to the club the positivity of COVID-19 of the footballer Marci Sportiello."

Fiorentina has also announced Dusan Vlahovic tested positive for COVID-19 but is currently not showing symptoms.

In Spain there have been several cases of Coronavirus infections regarding sportsmen, but unlike Italy most of the persons involved haven’t been disclosed.

Valencia and Argentina defender Ezequiel Garay became the first La Liga player to confirm he has the virus.

"Valencia CF inform that five positive cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus have been detected amongst first team staff and players," the club said in a statement.

The Spanish despite announcing 5 staff and players have tested positive for the virus, yet they didn’t mention the names of those involved.

Also, Spanish football team Alaves confirmed on Wednesday that 15 people from the club have tested positive for coronavirus, including three first-team players. Alaves said seven members of the La Liga club’s coaching staff had also tested positive, along with five other employees.

A club statement added: “The club made the decision to carry out the tests within the policy of responsibility for the people who are part of our family and the results have shown it was the best way to urgently locate the cases and implement preventive measures to reduce, as far as possible, more infections.

China PR and Espanyol star Wu Lei has tested positive for COVID-19 in Spain, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) confirmed on Saturday.

Real Madrid American basketball player Trey Thompkins tested positive for Coronavirus and that prompted the football team to enter quarantine because they share some facilities at the club’s training center.

Thompkins wrote on Twitter he was “feeling great and just waiting for the virus to pass.”

In England Mikel Arteta and Callun Hudson Odoi coach for Arsenal and player for Chelsea, respectively tested positive for Coronavirus, but they have declared themselves healed.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta contracted Coronavirus on 13th March and the entire Arsenal team was quarantined as a result of that.

“This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly,” Arteta said in a statement released by the club. “I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed.”

However, the latest development on Arteta indicates that he has recovered from the virus as he has tested negative.

Chelsea winger

Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced on Thursday.  

Chelsea provided the following update on the 19-year-old:

"Callum displayed symptoms similar to a mild cold on Monday morning and has not been at the training ground since then as a precaution. However, his test came in positive this evening and he will undergo a period of self-isolation. Despite testing positive for the virus, Callum is doing well and looking forward to returning to the training ground as soon as it is possible."

The team also announced that Chelsea personnel that came in "recent close contact" with Hudson-Odoi will begin self-isolating.

Still in England, four Portsmouth players – James Bolton, Andy Cannon, Sean Raggett and Haji Mnoga – have tested positive for the virus. Pompey’s players were tested following their FA Cup defeat to Arsenal after several of the Gunners squad had been in contact with the Olympiakos owner, Evangelos Marinakis, on the night of their Europa League tie. Marinakis confirmed he had the virus on 10 March.

Away from Europe NBA superstar Kevin Durant is among four Brooklyn Nets players to have tested positive for the coronavirus. The identities of the other three players are unknown.

Durant revealed the news to reporter Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine,” said Durant, who described himself as feeling fine. “We’re going to get through this.”

Fiorentina announced Dusan Vlahovic tested positive for COVID-19 but is currently not showing symptoms. Club will take the necessary precautions.

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