Baseball team cancels training while awaiting player's coronavirus test result

SEOUL, April 1 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean baseball club was forced to cancel its practice Wednesday after an ill player was tested for the novel coronavirus.

The Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said the player was awaiting results of his test, and that they will not practice Wednesday and Thursday. The entire team has been asked to self-isolate at home.

The Bears said the player complained of pains on his side Tuesday, and underwent a CT scan and an MRI. The initial diagnosis showed pneumonia, and although the player doesn't have a fever or a cough, he still underwent a test for the coronavirus.

There haven't been any confirmed COVID-19 cases among KBO players, coaches or employees, but a handful of teams have had disruptions because of early scares.

Last week, the Bears halted their training for a day after a family member of a player had come in direct contact with the COVID-19 patient at work. The relative tested negative.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the KBO to delay the start of its regular season, which would have begun last Saturday under normal circumstances. The league hopes to start playing exhibition games during the week of April 20, with the regular season to follow either in the final week of this month or the first week of May.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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