Egypt FA confirm that Mohamed Salah has tested positive for COVID-19

11/14/2020

The Egypt Football Association has confirmed that Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The forward will now be forced to self-isolate and quarantine himself for the next seven days in Egypt, according to the COVID-19 protocols.

While Liverpool’s start to the season has been an interesting one, their campaign has been marred with injuries to a catalogue of players. That includes Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and a few others, with Joe Gomez now set to miss the season after he damaged a knee tendon while on international duty with England.

They’ve also had COVID-19 positive tests hamper their season so far with Sadio Mane affected and now the Egypt Football Association has confirmed that Mohamed Salah has tested positive. The Liverpool forward is currently with Egypt to face Togo in their African Cup of Nations qualifiers but after a routine battery of tests, it was confirmed that Salah has tested positive. A now deleted statement from Egypt FA confirmed the news and revealed that no other player tested positive.

“The medical survey conducted on our first national football team mission showed that our international player Mohamed Salah Liverpool was infected with the coronavirus after his survey came back positive. Although he is not suffering from any symptoms, the rest of the team tested negative,” read the statement.

“Our international star was subjected to the medical protocol after the coordination of the national team doctor, Dr. Mohamed Abu Alala, with his English club Liverpool. In addition to isolating him inside his room and also isolating all those involved, our star is undergoing more tests in the next few hours.”

However, the Egyptian FA deleted the above statement and posted a new update that revealed that three players from the Egypt and Togo team had tested positive instead. It also confirmed that there will be new tests for the players to confirm the positive COVID-19 test and “determine their position on participation”.

"The laboratories of the Ministry of Health have indicated that three players from the Egyptian and Togo teams have tested positive before the match between the two teams tomorrow. Other tests will be conducted for the aforementioned players to determine their position on participation,” reads the statement on the FA’s website.

Only after that, in their third statement over the matter, did the Egyptian FA confirm that Mohamed Salah had indeed tested positive after a second swab test on the Liverpool forward confirmed the results of the first. The third statement revealed the same and also added that the 28-year-old is taking the necessary precautions in "line with the global medical protocol". The statement also confirmed that the Egyptian international is asymptomatic.

"Egyptian National Team and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has undergone a second test, and the results have confirmed that Salah tested positive for Covid-19. All necessary medical precautions have been taken in line with the global medical protocol and under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Sutan, Head of the Medical Committee at the EFA as well as Dr. Mohamed Abou El Ela, Egyptian National Team doctor.

"While the first swab offered a positive result, the Egyptian FA has decided to carry out a second test to confirm the result. Salah is keeping a high spirit and is not showing any symptoms of the virus. He has been isolated and the National Team's doctor is currently liaising with Dr. Jim Moxon, head of Liverpool FC's medical staff, regarding this matter."