Leeds United reported as having produced at least one positive COVID-19 test result

Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday have admitted to being one of the six clubs who collectively returned nine positives in covid-19 tests at the start of this week. Like Preston North End, they say they had one each.

Leeds’s policy has been not to comment. The Football League simply announced overall figures for the division twice weekly, and clubs are not obliged to say how many of their employees have tested positive, or who they are.

Hull City and Middlesbrough have also produced positive results during previous waves of tests, which take in players and staff.

The last two rounds of Premier League tests have thrown up just one positive, from Tottenham Hotspur from 2,227 tests.

By contrast, the Championship has returned 17 from its last two round of tests, which took in 2,152.

The most recent tests came at the start of the week when Championship players were allowed to resume contact training for the first time since matches were suspended because of the pandemic, although at many clubs, including Wednesday, they were taken before that happened.

Although an infection rate of 0.79 per cent is still very low, the higher numbers than in the Premier League will increase the pressure from those who think English football’s second tier is being too hasty in its return. Leeds are strong advocates of a return to playing, even though their chances of winning the title and promotion would probably be greater if they did not.

Managing director Angus Kinnear recently wrote that it would be “a national embarrassment if a division of the Championship’s size was unable to complete its 2019-20 fixtures.

Leeds are top of the table, seven points clear of the play-off places. All Championship sides have nine matches to play.

The Football League has set a provisional return date of June 20. Although Sheffield United resume on June 17, it is the weekend the bulk of Premier League sides return, despite having had a week’s extra contact training, something managers including Sheffield Wednesday’s Garry Monk are not happy with.

Anyone found to have tested positive for coronavirus is told to isolate for seven days, and will not be allowed to return to the training ground until they return a negative result.

The next round of results are due to be announced at the weekend.

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