Delhi Capitals player Axar Patel has been tested positive for COVID19 ahead of IPL 2021. The development comes close on the heels of eight members of the ground staff at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium testing positive for Covid-19. Delhi plays its first match of the season, against the Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai on April 10.
Axar Patel tested positive for COVID19
Axar Patel becomes the second player to tests positive for COVID19. Earlier KKR’s Nitish Rana has been tested COVID19 positive after his return from the Goa tour.
“Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel has tested positive for COVID-19. He had checked into the team hotel in Mumbai on March 28, 2021, with a negative report. His report from the second COVID test came positive. He is currently in isolation at a designated medical care facility. The Delhi Capitals medical team is in constant touch with Axar and ensuring his safety and well-being. We wish him a speedy recovery,” said a DC statement.
DC Source (in ANI) said “Axar Patel tested positive for COVID-19 and he is isolating with all protocols”.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 3, 2021
India is the fifth-worst-hit country in the world at the moment with Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, three of the six host states this season, being three of the five worst-hit states in India.
IPL 2021: Health and Safety Protocols
The BCCI’s “IPL 2021: Health and Safety Protocols” manual lays down the rules and regulations for dealing with Covid-19 cases in detail.
- Suspected/positive cases will be immediately isolated from rest of the squad.
- The team doctor will inform the BCCI chief medical officer immediately.
- The local health authority will be immediately notified of the positive RT-PCR test result.
- The case will be managed in close coordination with accredited hospitals and treatment centers equipped with Covid-19 testing and treatment equipment.
- All concerned cases shall be dealt with as per the guidelines set by the government applicable to that particular area.
- Contact tracing must commence immediately. All individuals who have been in close contact with the case during the previous 48 hours starting from the time of collection of the sample which resulted in a positive test, will be isolated and tested. All casual contacts in the last 48 hours starting from the time of collection of the sample which resulted in a positive test, will also be isolated and tested immediately.
- All staff handling positive cases must mandatorily wear a full PPE kit (goggles, face shield, N95 mask, gloves, coverall/gowns, headcover, and shoe covers) while handling a suspected/positive Covid-19 case.
This aside, in case of asymptomatic people or ones with mild symptoms, the protocol is for the person to be isolated in a designated area outside the bio-secure environment for a minimum of ten days from the day on which the sample which resulted in the positive report was taken.
