The New Zealand cricketer failed both his pre-departure tests, and “is experiencing moderate symptoms”
New Zealand’s Tim Seifert, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad at the curtailed 2021 edition of the IPL, has tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, he will not be on the charter flight with his fellow cricketers and other members of the New Zealand contingent at the IPL, and instead stay in isolation in Ahmedabad as he awaits transfer to Chennai, where he will be treated at a private hospital.
Seifert failed both his pre-departure PCR tests, according to a New Zealand Cricket press statement on Saturday, and the “immediate advice is that he is experiencing moderate symptoms”. The statement said that Seifert had returned seven negative tests in the ten days leading up to his pre-departure protocols.
“Once Seifert has undergone treatment and the statutory period of isolation and has tested negative for Covid-19, he will be transferred back to New Zealand where he will undergo the mandatory 14-day period of managed isolation,” the statement said, adding that he would be treated at the same facility where Mike Hussey, the former Australia cricketer who was a member of the Chennai Super Kings’ support staff, is being treated since testing positive earlier this week.
“It’s really unfortunate for Tim and we’ll do everything for him that we can from this end, and hopefully he will be able to test negative, and be cleared and approved for discharge as soon as he’s well again,” David White, the NZC chief executive, said. “Since receiving the news, we’ve organised support for Tim and have also – via the players association, been in contact with his family to ensure they’re kept fully informed and updated on developments.”
One of the two charter flights transporting New Zealand’s IPL contingent back home has already left India, and the other is expected to leave soon “after being delayed for logistical reasons”.
More to follow…