8 more boxers test positive, NIS Patiala COVID count rises to 26 but national camp continues

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Eight more boxers tested positive for COVID-19 in the ongoing men's national camp at NIS, Patiala on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 26 but all those infected are complaining of "relatively mild symptoms".

After 18 campers, 12 boxers and six support staff members returned positive for the virus on Wednesday, eight more were added to the tally after a fresh round of testing. The total number of infected boxers now stands at 20.

"Two main boxers Sumit and Rohit Mor and six of their sparring partners have tested positive. The camp is continuing and all those infected are in isolation with mostly mild symptoms, it's nothing like the second wave," a source in the national camp told PTI.

Among the support staff infected are head coach Narender Rana and coach coordinator CA Kuttappa along with assistant coach Suranjoy Singh. The camp will also feature Tokyo Olympians Amit Panghal, Vikas Krishan, Manish Kaushik, Ashish Chaudhary and Satish Kumar in a couple of days after their names were approved by the Boxing Federation of India.

The five had been kept out earlier for not participating in the national championships. It remains to be seen whether the current outbreak affects their schedule.

"I don't think the camp will be affected, we have around 20 cases in the second wave and proceedings went on with those infected in isolation. The symptoms experienced at that time were worse," said the source.

"Right now, there is just a bit of cold. Fever was there for a day or so but most of those found positive are completely asymptomatic. One guy left in his private vehicle as he developed a back problem," he added.

Boxing camps were disrupted during the pandemic's second wave for a brief period but resumed after the infections subsided.