NEW YORK, United States, Jul 6 – Seven Women’s NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Monday’s scheduled team arrivals at a Florida bubble, with one team delaying its arrival until at least Saturday.
The 12-team league announced on Monday tests of 137 WNBA players between June 28 and July 5 returned seven positives for coronavirus, although no names or clubs were revealed.
Under US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations followed by the league, players who test positive will self-isolate until being cleared by a physician, generally after two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
The Indiana Fever will delay travel to the IMG Academy at Bradenton, Florida, by at least five days, the league said, “in an abundance of caution due to the CDC’s close contact self-quarantine requirements.”
Players and staff from the other 11 clubs were set to arrive Monday at IMG Academy to start a virus-delayed 2020 season.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced last month the league would stage a season at IMG Academy that would include 22 games for each team without spectators starting in late July after pre-season training workouts.
Cases of COVID-19 have spiked in Florida in recent days after state officials welcomed teams into bubble isolation plans to stage seasons. The NBA and Major League Soccer are using bubbles at Disney World in Orlando to play games despite the deadly virus.
