The Premier League revealed on Monday that 36 players and staff tested positive for coronavirus over the past week, a slight fall from the record number of 40 cases in the previous seven days.
Soaring infection rates across Britain have forced the country into a new nationwide lockdown as a new highly infectious strain of Covid-19 has increased pressure on hospitals.
“The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 4 January and Sunday 10 January, across two rounds of testing, 2,593 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were 36 new positive tests,” the Premier League said in a statement.
Aston Villa’s clash with Tottenham, scheduled for Wednesday, became the fifth Premier League match postponed in the last two months on Monday due to outbreaks.
Due to an already heavily-congested schedule, Tottenham will now play Fulham in another rearranged match on Wednesday.
Fulham’s clash with Chelsea and Everton’s visit to Villa this weekend have also been pushed back a day.
Elite sport has so far been allowed to continue despite the restrictions, but a number of high-profile Premier League stars flouting regulations has led to calls for tougher action.
