Total of 59 players test positive for COVID-19, union says

[July 22, 2020]  (Reuters) - Fifty-nine National Football League (NFL) players in total have tested positive for COVID-19, the players' union said, with rookies scheduled to report to their teams on Tuesday and training camps opening for all players from July 28.

Including other individuals within the NFL, such as staff members, who have tested positive, the total number of cases stand at 95, a spokesman for the union NFLPA said.

Last week, the union reported that 72 players had tested positive since July 10. As players recover and have "multiple negative tests" they are removed from the tally, the NFLPA spokesman said.

The NFLPA and the league have agreed to daily coronavirus testing for all players during the first two weeks of camp, the spokesman added, confirming a report by ESPN.

Top players had voiced their concern and anger on Sunday over a lack of COVID-19 safety protocols.

"Our union has been pushing for the strongest testing, tracing and treatment protocols to keep our players safe," the NFLPA said in a statement on Monday.

"The testing protocols we agreed to are one critical factor that will help us return to work safely and gives us the best chance to play and finish the season."

There will be no pre-season games this year, the NFLPA spokesman said.

The NFL logo is pictured at an event in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

The league is moving toward a Sept. 10 kickoff for their season, with attendance likely limited at stadiums across the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), both operating out of a "bubble" at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, reported that no new positive cases came out of their most recent round of testing.

MLS is midway through its "MLS is Back Tournament," while the NBA is set to resume its season July 30.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

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