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Both staff and players have tested positive and will quarantine
in a hotel in Cape Town, joining the first player who returned a
positive test on Sunday. Welsh side Cardiff also said they had
two positive cases over the weekend.
Munster did not say if any of the positive tests were for the
new Omicron variant of the virus, which was first detected in
southern Africa.
"The ten members of the group who have tested positive will
remain in Cape Town until the end of their isolation period,"
Munster said in a statement.
"The remaining party of 38 have all returned negative results
and continue to individually isolate in their rooms where they
have been based since Sunday night.
"As outlined by the Irish government on Monday, those that have
received negative results have clearance to travel from the
South African authorities."
Munster said that the touring party had further tests on
Tuesday, their third in less than 60 hours, and are waiting on
the results to decide their next course of action.
Munster are due to play Wasps (Dec. 12) and Castres (Dec. 18) in
the group stage of the European Rugby Champions Cup, matches
which could now be under threat depending on how long they
remain in Cape Town.
Direct flights from South Africa to Britain were halted last
week and travellers from southern Africa arriving in Britain and
European Countries face quarantine restrictions as part of steps
to avoid the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus.
Ireland is one of the world's most vaccinated nations, with
almost 90% of the country's eligible 3.9 million people over the
age of 12 fully vaccinated.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Rohith
Nair)
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