CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Nov 28, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – A seventh Pakistan
cricketer tested positive for Covid-19 as the team remained confined to their
hotel in Christchurch on Saturday, unable to train and with a question mark
over their New Zealand tour.
The Pakistanis, who only arrived four days ago, are already on a “final
warning” for breaching New Zealand’s tight quarantine restrictions, with the
growing number of coronavirus cases adding pressure to preparations for their
opening match on December 18.
Despite all members of the squad returning negative tests before flying to
New Zealand, six came up positive after testing on day one in the country.
“One additional member of the Pakistan cricket squad has today tested
positive,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Saturday, confirming
the seventh patient.
“The remainder of the results from the squad’s day-three swab testing,
apart from the six who have already returned a positive result, are
negative.”
All overseas arrivals to New Zealand must spend two weeks in quarantine.
The 53-man squad will undergo further tests on Monday and in the meantime
they remain confined to their rooms after permission to train while in
isolation was revoked by New Zealand authorities.
The ministry said exemptions allowing teams to train while in managed
isolation “are very difficult to obtain” and Pakistan’s exemption was put on
hold after several players were caught flouting social distancing protocols
inside the quarantine hotel.
New Zealand’s director-general of health, Ashley Bloomfield, said Thursday
that breaches of the rules were taken very seriously and the Pakistan team
“as a whole has been issued with a final warning”.