England squad given COVID-19 all-clear in Cape Town

The ECB has said that the two members of England's touring party, who tested positive for COVID-19 at the weekend, received false positives.

The first ODI between South Africa and England was abandoned.

The two members of the England touring squad in South Africa with unconfirmed positive COVID-19 results in their last round of testing have been given the all clear, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.

“Following the independent ratification of the two unconfirmed positive COVID-19 tests from the England camp in South Africa, the ECB can confirm that, following further testing and analysis... the two individuals are not infected, and do not pose any risk of passing on the infection to the rest of the party,” a statement said.

READ: CSA, ECB agree to postpone ODI series after COVID-19 threat

“As such, the advice is they are now free to join the rest of the group and are no longer self-isolating.”

England will remain idle in Cape Town until their charter flight departs for London on Thursday following the postponement of the three-match One-Day International series that was due to finish on Wednesday.

The decision to find new dates for the series came after five suspected COVID-19 cases in the bio-secure environment that has now been reduced to three - one unnamed South Africa player and two hotel staff members.