German football’s main governing body has stated there will also be a second phase of tests as it works towards a resumption of the season
The DFL has confirmed that there have been 10 positive test results for coronavirus in the top two divisions in Germany, following on from Cologne confirming three staff members had tested positive for the illness over the weekend.
Plans to resume the current season later in May have already been outlined by the German government, with all remaining fixtures likely to be played behind closed doors.
The Bundesliga is set to become the first major league in Europe to return to action amid the coronavirus pandemic, but a proposed restart date of May 23 could yet be pushed back amid a rise in cases of the illness.
The DFL has confirmed that 10 people from the top two divisions in Germany have tested positive for Covid-19, and are now due to go back into quarantine for 14 days.
The league’s governing body released an official statement confirming that news after carrying out 1,724 tests, as officials continue to work on bringing football back.
The statement reads: “As part of a first wave, a total of 1,724 coronavirus tests have been carried out at the 36 Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga clubs since Thursday. Samples from players and other team personnel such as coaching staff and physiotherapists were taken and examined by five specialist laboratory groups across Germany.
“Ten cases of infection were identified and reported to the health authorities. The respective measures, for example, the isolation of the people affected, including environmental diagnostics, were carried out directly by the respective clubs in accordance with the requirements of the local health authorities.
“A second wave of tests will be carried out this week – here too there may be isolated positive test results, especially since one of the tasks of this second round is to reduce the likelihood of “false negative” findings that can never be completely ruled out. The DFL will continue to report on the results after this second test wave.
“The tests carried out in the past few days have served their purpose of providing additional security and thus protecting the players as best as possible from infection in team training or game operations.
“In the coming weeks and months, it will continue to be a matter of consistently implementing the agreed measures in everyday club life as well as in the private sphere. In the event of positive test results, the decision about the measures to be taken lies with the local health authorities.”
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