Bangkok: An Uzbek male professional soccer player for a Thai League 1 team has been found infected with COVID-19 after he arrived in Thailand from his home country last month.

At Friday’s press conference, Sophon Iamsirithaworn, director of the Ministry of Public Health’s Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, confirmed the 29-year-old Uzbek, who currently plays for Buriram United FC, tested positive on Thursday though he had earlier tested negative, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Department of Medical Science had checked the Uzbek twice since last month and found no infection until Thursday, Sophon said.

However, the Uzbek has no symptoms, Sophon said.

The player came to Thailand from Uzbekistan on August 13 and was reported to have made physical contacts with a number of people in Bangkok and Buriram province, including fellow soccer players and the coaching staff, all of whom will undergo tests.

Other 1,114 soccer players from 28 teams in the Thai League 1 and Thai League 2 have tested negative.

(IANS)