▲ This Feb. 26, 2020, file photo provided by the Korean Volleyball Federation shows Suwon Gymnasium, home of the Hyundai E&C Hillstate in the women's V-League, in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

volleyball-coronavirus

Event staffer tests positive for COVID-19 in women's volleyball league

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- A member of the event staff at a recent professional women's volleyball game has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, prompting the league office to discuss the possible suspension of the season Thursday.

The Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) announced Thursday the infected individual works for an agency that handles game day events and operations. The KOVO said the employee worked Saturday's game between the Hyundai E&C Hillstate and the IBK Altos in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. All Hyundai players and coaches will be tested for COVID-19 on Thursday.

According to the KOVO, the employee was first tested Sunday after a coworker, who didn't attend Saturday's game, tested positive. However, the employee took another test Wednesday because of issues with the first result and then received the positive result Thursday.

The KOVO said it will await results of further epidemiological investigations Friday before determining the status of the women's league.

The KOVO suspended the men's competition for two weeks effective Tuesday, a few hours after KB Insurance Stars center Park Jin-u tested positive for the virus. A front office employee for KB has also been infected.

The women's competition continued on, with a game played Wednesday and another scheduled for Friday.

On Jan. 9 this year, Bruna Moraes of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in the women's league tested positive for the virus, but her result didn't affect play because she was in quarantine after arriving in South Korea as a midseason replacement for Lucia Fresco.

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]