Moeen Ali tests positive for coronavirus as English cricket team arrives in Sri Lanka

Cricketer Moeen Ali tested positive for the novel coronavirus as the English team landed in Sri Lanka on Sunday ahead of a two-Test series. 

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said that Ali’s lateral flow test – a quicker version of the test that takes only 30 minutes – was negative, coronavirus was detected in the PCR test carried out at the Hambantota airport in Sri Lanka. 

Confirming the test result, the board said Ali will observe a 10-day self-isolation period in accordance with the Sri Lanka Government’s protocol on quarantine.

“Chris Woakes has been deemed as a possible close contact, and he will observe a period of self-isolation and further testing,” read the statement.

“The touring party will be PCR tested for a second time on Tuesday morning. At this stage, the team will train for the first time on Wednesday.”

It is unclear which strain the English cricketer contracted. The United Kingdom has seen a surge in the novel coronavirus cases with a new, more contagious variant accounting for majority of the spread. 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered a national lockdown amid threats that the outbreak would overwhelm parts of the health system before a vaccine programme reaches a critical mass.

Johnson made the announcement just hours after the government hailed Britain’s success in becoming the first country to begin rolling out the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca against COVID-19.

He said the new, more contagious variant, first identified in the UK, and now present in many other countries was spreading at great speed and immediate action was needed to slow it down.