More Pakistan players may test positive on day three: NZ’s director of health

New Zealand’s Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has said that more members of the Pakistan touring squad may return positive for Covid-19 in the tests, which will be conducted today.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Thursday that six members of the Pakistan team, currently in managed isolation in Christchurch, have tested positive for Covid-19.

"All six of the positive tests were players, not the other members of their squad. It's possible they could have infected other team members, but the key point is that everyone in the squad is treated as if they may have Covid. At least four of those are acute infections and the others may be historical ones, but that's being confirmed," Bloomfield said.

"The fact that these infections were found when they were tested on arrival in the country suggests that there may well be others that we uncover during that day three testing, which we should have today," he added.

According to Bloomfield, certain members of Pakistan squad, which is currently quarantined in Christchurch, were seen receiving food from hotel staff without wearing a mask while some interacted with other members of the squad — which was contrary to the SOPs in place due to the pandemic.

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CCTV footage confirmed the aforementioned transgressions and consequently a warning letter was issued by the New Zealand Health Department to reiterate the country’s strict Covid-19 protocols.

"Rather than being in their own rooms which is the requirement for the first three days until that first test comes back, there was some mingling in the hallways, chatting, sharing food and not wearing masks which was obvious on the CCTV footage," Bloomfield said.

"This was simply members of the squad mingling in the hallways outside their rooms which was not something that was allowed to happen and not something that's at all acceptable," he added.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) in a statement on Thursday said that they consider public health and safety to be paramount in the hosting of international teams, and is supportive of the Ministry of Health and Government position.