Pakistan's squad undergoes third round of coronavirus testing in New Zealand

KARACHI: Members of the Pakistan Cricket squad underwent a third round of coronavirus PCR tests in Christchurch on Monday. The reports are due in 24 hours.

Six members of the team tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival in New Zealand six days ago - two of these were identified to be historical infections. One member of the team tested positive in the second round of testing conducted on Day 3.

Today's tests will likely determine whether the players will be allowed to train in the managed isolation period. The team was supposed to have an exemption to train but it was put on hold after members of the squad testing positive for COVID-19 along with reports of bio-security breaches. 

Read more: Two Pakistan cricketers who tested COVID-19 positive are ‘no more infectious’

In a statement, New Zealand's health ministry said the Canterbury DHB medical officer of health will "conduct an assessment of whether the team members who have not returned positive tests can have an exemption from managed isolation to train".

"For this to occur, the medical officer of health must be satisfied that training is unlikely to transmit COVID-19," the statement added.