ANGELES CITY – Four of the seven referees previously isolated for coming in contact with a suspected COVID-19 case have been tapped to work on the PBA Philippine Cup game between Barangay Ginebra and Magnolia.
The four officials tested negative after undergoing RT-PCR test and and spending five days in an isolation facility since the first probable case of the virus inside the league bubble emerged on Tuesday.
A referee was tagged as a 'probable case' and was brought to the New Clark City (NCC) quarantine facility. Contact tracing showed the official came into contact with seven other colleagues, leading to their isolation.
The suspected case also has since tested negative in both his antigen and RT-PCR tests, although he will have to finish his quarantine before he can re-enter the bubble.
“Right now the four referees will officiate the Manila Clasico game because they have negative results already,” said deputy commissioner Eric Castro in a press briefing prior to the Kings-Hotshots encounter at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
For good measure, too, the seven referees who officiated the past games while the others were in isolation, were likewise ordered to undergo antigen testing.
“Nag-antigen sila earlier and they’re all negative also,” said Castro.
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