The Chilean international Eduardo Vargas and four other players from Atlético Mineiro have tested positive for COVID-19, the club from Belo Horizonte announced on Wednesday. The team, like other Brazilian teams such as Santos and Palmeiras, is facing an outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The 'turboman' Vargas and the footballers Allan, Réver, Guga, and Victor are infected, along with five other team staff members, the Mineiro team stated in a press release, without providing details on the health condition of those infected.
Vargas, 30, was officially announced as a new player for the leader of Brasileirao a week ago, after playing for Tigres from Mexico for four seasons.
And he had a standout debut over the weekend in the 2-1 victory against Corinthians in Sao Paulo, leaving 'Galo' as the league leader with 38 points in 21 matches played.
The Chilean World Cup player and his teammates will miss the match against Athletico Paranaense scheduled for Wednesday night in Belo Horizonte, in a postponed match from the sixth round of the league.
Against 'Furacao,' Mineiro will also not have their coach, Jorge Sampaoli, nor five members of their technical staff or defender Gabriel, who are also infected, as reported by the club on Monday night.
Several clubs in Brazil are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks, the second country with the highest number of deaths from the new coronavirus.
Santos and Palmeiras have nearly forty positives among players, technical committees, and staff. Both teams will play in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores next week against the Ecuadorian teams Liga de Quito and Delfin, respectively.
In September, COVID-19 hit Flamengo, the current champion of Brazil and the Libertadores, hard.