Two foreign players who arrived for Lanka Premier League contract coronavirus

Two foreign players who arrived in Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League (LPL) have contracted the coronavirus.

The two players were identified after on arrival PCR tests were carried out as part of a ?Bio-Secure Bubble? of the LPL, the Sri Lanka Cricket board said.

Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir and Canada’s Ravinderpal Singh were isolated and placed under medical care as their on-arrival Covid-19 tests showed they were infected.

The Sri Lanka Cricket board said it has established the highest standards of Health measures to ensure that the LPL 2020 is conducted ensuring the safety of players, and officials taking part in the League.

The Bio-Secure Bubble in operation at the Lanka Premier League 2020 is being implemented with strict and stringent health guidelines specified by the Ministry of Health.

?The Bubble in place at the LPL premises is a system followed by high profile sporting leagues across the world, and also by major bilateral cricketing series played by ICC member countries,?? Professor Arjuna De Silva, Event Medical Director of the LPL said.

According to the system in place, each participating player will have to enter the country with 2 negative PCR test 72 hours apart, and then has to undergo a PCR on arrival. They will undergo a minimum of 10 PCR Tests during the entirety of the tournament, whilst the officials functioning at the tournament will also undergo a series of PCR Tests.

“In case, a player/official is found positive, he or she will be immediately referred for treatment at a designated Intermediate Health Care Facility, pre-approved by the Ministry of Health, as we have done with the two players, who tested positive. They were identified on the arrival PCR Tests, thanks to the well laid out ?Bio-Secure Bubble? of the LPL,” the Sri Lanka Cricket board said.

The cricket board said that are five Health Ministry Doctors designated for each team in the bubble. In addition, there are two doctors from the Sri Lanka Army to oversee the others, whilst Dr. (Mrs.) Daminda Attanayake from the Ministry of Sports is coordinating the medical team. The security of the bubble is maintained by the Sri Lanka Army, with the inner ring maintained by Army Commandos.

The system in place is monitored by the Regional Directors of Health Services of the Hambantota and Ratnapura Districts, and their respective teams, whilst SLC is in constant touch with the Health Authorities. (Colombo Gazette)