THE Premier League was in danger of calling off multiple games after it returned its highest number of positive coronavirus tests of the season, with 18 new cases.
Between December 21 and 27, 1,479 players and club staff were tested and the 18 individuals who have the virus will now self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
A number of those cases are at Manchester City after an outbreak there saw their game with Everton called off at four hours’ notice on Monday.
The previous highest number of cases this season was 16, during the week of November 9 to 15.
A Premier League statement read: “The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday December 21 and Sunday December 27, 1,479 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were 18 new positive tests.
“The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 21 December and Sunday 27 December, 1,479 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19,” the league said in a statement.
“Of these, there were 18 new positive tests. Players or club staff who have tested positive will self-isolate for a period of 10 days.”
That figure surpassed the previous highest figure recorded of 16 for November 9-15.
All remaining seven Premier League games on Tuesday and Wednesday are still set to go ahead.
City had already announced on Christmas Day there had been four positive tests at the club for players Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus and two staff members prior to the latest positive cases on Monday.
UK Premier League records new high of 18 positive coronavirus cases jamaicaobserver.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jamaicaobserver.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 15, 2020 Manchester City s Gabriel Jesus Pool via REUTERS/Clive Brunskill
(Reuters) - The Premier League recorded more COVID-19 positives than ever on Tuesday amid fears for fixtures across English soccer after match postponements.
The league said 18 individuals had tested positive for the new coronavirus, the most in a week this season, with bottom side Sheffield United reporting a number of fresh cases in their camp.
United s match at Burnley on Tuesday remained on, with the club saying those who tested positive had entered into a 10-day period of self-isolation in line with Premier League and government guidelines.
Tras nuevos casos de Covid-19, Manchester City pospone partido frente al Everton elgrafico.mx - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from elgrafico.mx Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.