Blackburn Rovers defender Elliott Bennett has tested positive for Covid-19 in the last round of screening by the English Football League (EFL).
The club confirmed the news today after it was revealed by the EFL that there was a total of three positive results from the 1,030 tests taken this week.
Bennett (left main pic), who has captained his team for most of the season, admits to being totally unaware that he was ill.
“I feel fit and healthy," Bennett told the official club website.
“Hopefully this sends out a positive message to the community that perhaps many people have or have had the virus without showing any effects."
Having initially submitted a negative test last Friday (May 22nd), Bennett took a second test on Monday (May 25th), which has now provided a positive result.
"I obviously would never have known if we hadn’t returned to training and taken the tests, because I don’t feel unwell and have got no symptoms whatsoever.
"There seems to have been a lot of hysteria about footballers returning to training, but it’s not a big deal at all.
"It’s the people who are seriously ill in hospital that we need to worry about, not footballers who are fit and healthy, and who aren’t showing any signs of being unwell."
The other two positive tests announced today were Fulham players who will remain unnamed because of medical confidentiality.
The two are self-isolating in line with English Football League and government guidance.
This news comes after two unidentified people at Hull City were confirmed to have the virus last Sunday following the previous round of testing.
English Championship clubs were allowed to return to non-contact training on Monday which was the first step towards the potential resumption of the season.
They are slightly behind the Premier League who were allowed to resume contact training from today.
