Two members of the Yomiuri Giants professional baseball team who were found to be infected with the novel coronavirus tested negative upon additional testing at a hospital, sources said Thursday.
Infielder Hayato Sakamoto, 31, and catcher Takumi Oshiro, 27, underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the second time after being admitted to a Tokyo hospital Wednesday following their previous PCR test results.
The Yomiuri Giants are hoping to allow the two players to rejoin the team as soon as possible by consulting with experts, according to sources.
Sakamoto and Oshiro received antibody tests in late May, as part of the Yomiuri Giants' cooperation with research conducted by a university hospital in Tokyo.
The results showed a type of antibody called immunoglobulin G (IgG) was found in the blood of the two players, which indicates recovery from a coronavirus infection.
To confirm their results, the Giants had both players undergo PCR tests on Tuesday, which showed that a minimal amount of genes specific to the virus were present.
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