Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza and two cornermen test positive for coronavirus

News
1

Originally published at Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza and two cornermen test positive for coronavirus

ESPN has reported that UFC middleweight Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza has tested positive for the coronavirus and his fight at UFC 249 is off but the event is on.

The UFC confirmed that Souza had tested positive for the coronavirus and added that two of his cornermen had also tested positive. The promotion issued the following statement on Friday night:

The middleweight bout between Uriah Hall vs Jacaré Souza will no longer be on the UFC 249 preliminary card due to one of Souza’s COVID-19 tests indicating a positive result.

In addition, COVID-19 tests for Souza’s two cornermen were also flagged as positive. UFC’s medical team examined Souza and his two cornermen and found them to be currently asymptomatic, or not exhibiting the common symptoms of COVID-19. As per UFC’s health and safety protocols, all three men have left the host hotel and will be self-isolating off premises, where UFC’s medical team will monitor their conditions remotely and will provide assistance with any necessary treatment.

From their arrival earlier in the week until their departure today, Souza and his cornermen followed UFC health and safety protocols, including practicing social distancing, wearing personnel protective equipment, and self-isolating whenever possible.

There have been no other positive COVID-19 tests reported from the remaining athletes participating in UFC 249.

The response to this development is indicative of the effectiveness of the health and safety measures UFC has put in place for this event.

According to ESPN’s report, Souza arrived in Jacksonville on Wednesday and informed UFC officials that a family member had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Souza did not display symptoms and went through the testing procedures that all fighters, cornermen, and other staff and people associated with the event had to undergo.

The results came back Friday after Souza had taken part in the weigh-in where he appeared wearing a mask and gloves.

Ariel Helwani added that the other 23 fighters on the card have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Souza was scheduled to fight Uriah Hall on the preliminary card Saturday night and successfully made weight for the fight on Friday morning.

2

If UFC had the same people testing every single fighter wouldn’t their be a risk of it having spread to others.

How this is still going ahead is just beyond me.

1 Like
3

This is gonna be a PR disaster.

1 Like
4

No doubt, I’m not sure if the current US restrictions, but in Australia we’re still ment to self isolate for a fortnight if we have been in close contact with someone who’s tested positive. The Goverment even created a phone app.

5

Lots of people freaking out over this because UFC fighters stay at the same hotel that AEW staff & wrestlers also are for Dynamite.

1 Like
6

This was what I was talking to @wai0937 about with the study. You can miss cases early on especially and even overall there is a false negative rate.

We have had patients test postive only on the third test because we believe they have to have it based on presentation

Glad they caught it - imagine they only got the positive test Monday morning after the first negative

1 Like
7

The reality is there are no “US” restrictions. The nature of public health in the US is very strongly tied to state and local governments implementing their own policies. The CDC in the US is not a regulatory agency (they only provide guidance that has no legal enforcement behind it) and the federal government only has (limited) authority over citizens when they are entering the country internationally or through interstate travel, which is why enforcing a quarantine on international flight passengers is possible by the federal government but once those passengers exit the airport, those persons are now under the authority of the state or county depending on the state.

This is why Florida can say “Fuck it, we’re doing whatever we want.” with no repercussions. I’m not read up on what the exact policy/recommendation for the state is right now when someone tests positive but I would assume it is very limited in scope and enforcement.

1 Like