3 Italian soccer players, club staffer test positive for coronavirus

Three players and a staffer at an Italian soccer club have tested positive for coronavirus, the organization announced Friday.

The US Pianese, a Tuscany-based club, said one of its players began to develop a fever and headache Saturday evening while the team was in Alessandria for a championship game, according to a statement posted to Facebook.

He was treated by the team’s doctor until he underwent COVID-19 testing Wednesday — and the results came back positive.

He was hospitalized in Siena while other team members and staff were tested.

Two more players then tested positive for the widespread bug — one without any symptoms and another who was slightly feverish. Both were under quarantine in their homes.

Friday morning, a team “collaborator” was taken to the hospital by ambulance after suffering from a fever throughout the night. He has also been confirmed to have the virus.

“As of now, every player, technical staff and managers present at the events of last weekend are in a 15-day fiduciary quarantine, in their own homes, and no one is showing symptoms of the COVID-19,” the club said, according to a translation by CNN.

Club President Maurizio Sani also placed himself under voluntary quarantine, the organization said.

A total of 821 coronavirus cases have been reported in Italy as of Friday, and 12 people have died, according to The Local Italy.