MLB says 5 more players test positive for COVID-19 in past week, total rises to 80

Five more baseball players tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week, raising the total to 80 since testing started in late June.

The sides do not announce names of those who test positive, but some players have allowed teams to identify themselves. Tampa Bay All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows was placed on the injured list Thursday night after testing positive for the coronavirus

The week included a five-day span with no new positive tests, MLB and the union said Friday.

For the past two weeks of monitoring testing, 23 of 17,949 samples have been new positives, a rate of 0.1 per cent The new positives included 18 players and five staff members, all among 13 teams.

WATCH | Dr. Howard Njoo discusses logistics of Jays playing season in Toronto:

Public Health official Howard Njoo is asked how the Blue Jays could play regular season home games in Toronto

4 years ago

Duration 3:23

Dr Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief public health officer and a self-confessed Jays fan, spoke with reporters on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.

Including the initial intake screening that started in late June, 93 of of 21,701 samples have resulted in new positives, a rate of 0.4 per cent. The positives included 80 players and 13 staff members, including four players who were additions to 60-man club player pools.

Twenty-eight teams have had a positive test result, including players and staff.