Multiple NBA Players Test Positive For COVID-19 A Second Time

The NBA has been plagued by a spike in COVID-19 cases, and sources told ESPN that multiple players who previously tested positive for the virus have tested positive a second time.

Recently, there have been talks between the league office, National Basketball Players Association, teams, and agents to consider changing protocols to limit the spread. The recent spike caused three games to be postponed. The league has already placed players who previously had the virus, including Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant and Miami’s Bam Adebayo, into quarantine after exposure to an infected person over concern of reinfection or spreading the virus.

It’s currently unclear how long immunity lasts for a person who has previously tested positive for coronavirus. Additionally, the CDC, which defines “reinfection” as getting infected, recovering, and then later becoming infected again, says that some reinfections are expected but are believed to be uncommon.

According to the outlet, the NBA has reported over 100 positive COVID-19 tests in the league since last summer. That number is expected to be higher since teams weren’t testing players while the league was shutdown. 

There is also reportedly some concern regarding how many players actually had the virus early on in the pandemic. Early on, higher rates of false positives occurred, and testing wasn’t as widely available. For players who registered a false positive test early on in the pandemic and then tested positive again recently, it’s possible that this would be their first time becoming infected with the coronavirus.