A player from the Italian Third Division club, US Pianese, tested positive for coronavirus, marking what is believed to be the first case of a footballer in Europe.
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The region of Tuscany confirmed on Thursday that the 22-year-old felt bad on Saturday at a hotel in the city of Alessandria, in the Piedmont region, before his team’s league match in the under-23 category.
The footballer, whose name has not been released, did not play on Sunday and was sent home, where he underwent tests confirming the positive case on Wednesday, is recovering in a hospital in Siena.
A statement from the region of Tuscany said: “Two new positive cases of coronavirus in Tuscany. Both await confirmation from the Higher Institute of Health.
“One is a 22-year-old man in the province of Siena, a Pianese player, who had symptoms last Saturday at a hotel in Alessandria, where he was training with the team before Sunday’s game.
“He didn’t play because he had a lot of fever. The team returned to Piancastagnaio, while he went home. On Wednesday morning, he was examined at home and the results were positive at night.
“From an early age he is in a hospital in Siena, isolated. It is in good condition and healthy. Another player on the team felt the same symptoms, which the club is tracking. ”
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