Liverpool have been dealt a blow with the news that star forward Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19 while representing Egypt on international duty, ahead of an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo.
The Premier League champions have had to contend with a number of coronavirus infections since the start of the season, with Sadio Mane, Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri and Kostas Tsimikas all having contracted the illness.
This was confirmed by the Egyptian Football Association in a statement on its website on Friday.
He contracted the virus while on international duty and had been isolated.
The statement was titled, ‘Mohamed Salah infected with Coronavirus’.
The statement read, “The medical swab conducted on our national football team showed that our player, Mohamed Salah, the star of Liverpool, is infected with coronavirus after his test came positive, although he does not suffer from any symptoms, while the other members of the team tested negative,” the statement said.
It added that Liverpool have been contacted and informed of the development, “in addition to isolating him (Salah) inside his room and also isolating all contacts”.
Record seven-time African champions Egypt only drew their first two matches in Group G to lie third in a section also including Kenya and Comoros, and which they were expected to dominate.
Both matches against Togo will be staged behind closed doors because of COCID-19 with the first in Cairo Saturday and the return match in Lome Tuesday.
