UPDATE - 12 staffers of Turkish football club free of virus

CHANGES HEADLINE & DECK; UPDATES & ADDS INFORMATION; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Emre Asikci and Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – Twelve staff members of a Turkish football team have tested negative for COVID-19, the club announced on Thursday.

The 12 staffers of second-tier league club Buyuksehir Belediye Erzurumspor were administered second tests on Wednesday after 11 others tested positive.

In a tweet, the club said all 12 people were free from any virus symptoms but their condition will be monitored during 14 days of quarantine.

On Wednesday, 11 Erzurumspor staff members, including four players, tested positive for COVID-19.

The others were five club employees, a technical staff member, and a senior team personnel member.

The club said all 11 were admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Earlier this week, an employee of top-tier side Fenerbahce tested positive for coronavirus.

That was the Istanbul club’s second positive case as an employee had tested positive last week too.

A player and a staff member of Besiktas, along with a player from MKE Ankaragucu, also tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Turkey’s football leagues, which have been suspended since March, are set to resume next month.

The second-tier TFF First League, where Erzurumspor currently play, is scheduled to restart on June 19.

The overall count of coronavirus cases in Turkey reached 143,114 on Wednesday.

A majority of patients – 101,715 – have recovered, while 3,952 have died so far, according to official data.