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Six Pakistan cricketers test positive for covid-19 after landing in NZ for tour

After landing in the borders of New Zealand, 6 members of the Pakistan cricket team tested positive for covid-19. The cricket board association of NZ announced the news on Thursday as the squad is supposed to begin the tour in the second week of December.

New Zealand, that has managed to keep the infection count at low and majorly eradicated the virus from their nation, has started taking stringent steps to isolate the members who had come to play the five-match series.

The arrangements put in place for the tour has been tossed away as new preparations are underway for managing the sudden situation at hand. The cricket board in a statement said that the squad’s “exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed.”

While the probe continues, the cricketers who have been infected will be shifted for quarantine, the body added.

BBC reported that the members had went through 4 tests, all of which tested negative, before boarding the plane for NZ. The ministry of health said the team of 53 people also underwent a symptom check for ruling out the presence of any illness even remotely linked to the deadly disease. Only then were the players permitted to leave Lahore for Christchurch where they were tested on November 24th.

Out of the 53 members, 6 have found to be infected with the virus and 2 of these are “historical” cases. Historical may refer to cases where the infection had subsided but came back for the second time.

“The players will be tested for a minimum of 4 times while in managed isolation”, said the ministry, adding that the rest of the team’s movement will be restricted to their respective rooms.

Sources also reported the ministry disclosing the actions of players where they have breached the rules put forth by the country for curbing the infection spread. It said that “several team members have been seen on CCTV” breaking the isolation norms, even though they had received “clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behavior”.  After this, the entire team has been given a “final warning” to abstain from such acts.

Ashley Bloomfield, a top health official said, “It is a privilege to come to New Zealand to play sport, but in return, teams must stick to the rules that are designed to keep COVID-19 out of our communities and keep our staff safe.”

New Zealand became one of the very few countries in the world that mostly pushed the virus out of its nation through measures of strict quarantine, aggressive testing, lockdowns, etc. Since the beginning of the pandemic, while other countries have figures in millions, NZ recorded only 1,684 cases with 25 fatalities.

Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s opening batsman was found febrile even before the team started off for New Zealand to play in the tour. The 30-year-old cricketer had to be left behind in Pakistan while the rest of the team continued with its journey. The left-hander, however, was tested negative for the infection as did his other teammates.

According to the schedule, Pakistan has to play 3 Twenty20 international matches and 2 tests starting December 20th in Auckland.

The other team present in New Zealand, West Indies, was also confined to their rooms earlier in November after CCTV footage recorded them mingling and sharing meals with each other without the maintenance of the social distancing norms.