JERUSALEM, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli soccer club Hapoel Hadera, from the coastal city of Hadera, announced on Saturday that 13 of its players and staff members were tested positive for COVID-19.
The Israeli Premier League club said in a statement that five of its players and eight staff members were infected with the virus.
As a result, the club is currently in close contact with the Israeli Professional Football Leagues organization and the Ministry of Health, and continues to follow the guidelines, the statement said.
The team's upcoming matches and training were canceled, as all players and staff members currently undergo home quarantine.
Another Israeli Premier League team, Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin, based in northern Israel, reported seven COVID-19 infections, including the coach and two goalkeepers.
The professional soccer leagues in Israel were stopped in mid-March due to the pandemic outbreak in the country and were resumed in late May.
On Friday, a nationwide lockdown was imposed in Israel, while the health and sports ministries decided that professional soccer matches would continue, under restrictions. Enditem
