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Football

05th Jan 2021

Premier League announce record number of positive Covid-19 tests

JOE

The numbers continue to rise

The Premier League has confirmed a record number of positive Covid-19 tests over the course of the last two rounds of testing. In total, 40 positive results were returned – more than double the 18 recorded during the previous week.

The sharp rise is, perhaps, no great surprise. A continuing surge in new coronavirus cases across the country saw the government confirm a third national lockdown on Monday evening, with outbreaks at Manchester City and Fulham causing Premier League games to be postponed over the last fortnight.

Fulham have been worst-hit and forced to postpone their games against Tottenham and Burnley as a result. Though City’s game with Everton was also delayed by the Premier League, they were able to play their fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Despite the rise in cases and the start of a new national lockdown, the government confirmed on Monday that elite sport would be able to continue. This was not the case during the first lockdown in March, when Premier League clubs had yet to devise the systems now in place for testing their players and coaching staff.