Soccer clubs in Spain were offered coronavirus test kits by the league for their players and staff members. Not all of the 500 tests were administered as some teams have decided to reject the offer so that those very same tests could go to people from the general population that need them more.
La Liga team Celta Vigo said in a statement Thursday that "there are other groups in greater need" of the tests when explaining why players and staff were not using them. David Espinar, a team spokesman for Real Valladolid, asked for the tests to be prioritized for other people throughout the country. The club also emphasized that it would not use them because none have shown symptoms. It's possible to be infected with COVID-19 without showing symptoms.
Deportivo Alaves announced Wednesday that 15 people within the club were infected, including three players, seven coaching staff members and five other employees. Valencia said 35 percent of its team and coaching staff were infected, while Espanyol had six team and staff members test positive for the virus. On Sunday, a 21-year-old youth soccer coach for Atletico Portada Alta died from coronavirus while also battling leukemia.
As of late Thursday afternoon, more than 17,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Spain. While over 1,100 people have recovered from the disease, over 800 people have died because of COVID-19.
