News Americas, NEW YORK, NY: A West Indies cricketer was on Thursday declared COVID-19 positive less than a week before the start of the three-match one-day series in Bangladesh.
Leg-spinning all-rounder Hayden Walsh, Jr. tested positive for the virus after he had tested negative before departing the Caribbean last week and again on arrival in Dhaka last Sunday.
He is the first West Indies player to test positive for the novel coronavirus while on tour, since international cricket resumed last July following a lockdown.
Walsh is asymptomatic. He will, however, now have to enter a period of self-isolation and has been ruled out of the one-day series starting in Dhaka next Wednesday.
A Cricket West Indies statement said Thursday the squad had been isolating in their respective rooms since their arrival and therefore had no contact with Walsh.
“The West Indies touring squad has been in individual isolation since arriving in Bangladesh and so there has been no contact between squad members since arrival,” CWI said. “In accordance with the established medical protocols, Walsh remained isolated from the West Indies squad and is now under the care and supervision of the team physician, Dr. Praimanand Singh.”
Walsh will have to first return two negative tests before being released from isolation.
Walsh is one of only six players on the 15-man squad with ODI experience, after several first-choice players opted out of the January 20 to February 15 tour due to COVID-19 concerns.
