Mashrafe Mortaza tests positive for COVID-19 for the second time in 15 days
Former Bangladesh limited-overs captain Mashrafe Mortaza has once again tested positive for COVID-19. The 36-year-old underwent treatment at home for the first 14 days and has now tested positive for the second time.
On 20th June, Mashrafe Mortaza had revealed via a social media post that he was tested positive for the infection and was home isolating.
Earlier today, (July 04), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief physician Debashish Chowdhury confirmed the news while also assuring that there was 'no reason to panic’ yet. He also revealed that Mashrafe Mortaza will undergo another test on July 08.
"In most cases, the patient is cleared by 14 days but that is not mandatory. Someone might take more time," he said.
Ever since becoming a Member of Parliament from Narail constituency in 2018, Mashrafe Mortaza has been actively involved in social work. During the on-going Covid19 crisis, he had been doing social work in his constituency.
Mashrafe Mortaza is the third Bangladesh cricketer to test positive for COVID-19
Apart from Mashrafe Mortaza, several other international stars have also tested positive for the virus. Many from the Pakistan team tested positive and some of them have recovered too.
Talking about Bangladesh alone, Mashrafe Mortaza is the third cricketer to test positive. Before him, former Bangladesh cricketer Nafees Iqbal, who is the elder brother of ODI captain Tamim Iqbal and young left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam, had also tested positive.
COVID-19 has brought the cricketing fraternity to a standstill. However, after three months of inaction, international cricket is all set to resume on July 8th, when England and West Indies will play the first of their three-Test series at Southampton.
During the practice games, the England players were seen maintaining the new rules, which included celebrating wickets with elbow dabs instead of high-fives, not applying saliva on the ball and sanitizing their hands frequently.