Charles Barkley announced in a statement on Monday that he tested negative for COVID-19, nearly two weeks after he went under self-quarantine
Barkley, the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer and iconic NBA analyst on TNT, revealed that he recently received the news for his testing. He also encouraged everyone to continue taking the necessary steps to ensure their safety during the crisis.
On March 12, Barkley wasn’t feeling well and was advised by doctors and TNT to self-quarantine and undergo the test to determine if he had COVID-19. Fortunately, the 57-year-old avoided the virus that has swept across the globe and led to an epidemic that is getting worse.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common symptoms and signs of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath. Other symptoms include tiredness, aches, runny nose and sore throat. Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert said he lost his sense of smell and taste, which is a less common symptom.
Those who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 could experience symptoms from two to 14 days within making contact with a person that has the virus.
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. The announcement came on the same day the Los Angeles Lakers announced two of their players also tested positive for the virus. As of now, 10 NBA players are known to have confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In the NFL, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton became the first in the league to test positive. While no MLB players have tested positive for COVID-19, two MiLB players with the New York Yankees have confirmed cases.
According to the latest information from Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 35,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States. Across the globe, there are now more than 350,000 cases of the coronavirus with numbers rapidly escalating each day.