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| Photo: @SeanRaggett |
Portsmouth defender Sean Raggett has revealed that he discovered he had tested positive for coronavirus whilst eating a meal in a pub.
The 26-year-old was completely unaware he had the disease when he went for a meal with two friends at The Star, a Hungry Horse restaurant in Gillingham, on Friday night.
And, after receiving a call from Pompey physio Bobby Bacic to tell him of the positive test, Raggett immediately called time on his meal in the pub.
The centre-back, on loan from Premier League club Norwich City, is now appealing to anyone who was in the pub to self-isolate because of the risk someone might have been infected or carry the virus on to others.
Speaking about to The Sun, Raggett has spoken about how he felt when he found out he had the coronavirus.
I was mortified. We all got tested on Tuesday at the training ground and I couldn't believe I had come up positive because I haven't had any symptoms whatsoever.
My first concern was not to infect anyone I was with or any of the public in the vicinity because there were at least 25 people in there at the time. So I left straight away.
I am seriously mortified by the thought of passing this on to anyone. I was sitting with just two friends and I didn't really get into close contact with anyone else.
But as a precaution if anyone was in there that evening, they should self-isolate.
If I had any idea I had the infection then of course I would never have gone in there in the first place.
I didn't watch or hear the Prime Minister's briefing so I had no idea pubs had been told to close.
I was getting ready for the weekend and then driving up. I only went there to eat with two friends. I was there for about an hour.
Portsmouth decided to test players as a precaution after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta contracted the virus.
The League One side played Arsenal in the FA Cup at Fratton Park on March 2, ten days before it was revealed Arteta had Covid-19.
And the results showed four Portsmouth players - Raggett, James Bolton, Andy Cannon and Haji Mnoga - were all contracted the virus.
Raggett is now pleading with the public to listen to the government's advice and avoid all unnecessary contact with others for the foreseeable future.
My advice to everyone is just be wary of who you are around and stay safe. Don't go and visit people who are elderly or vulnerable, regardless if you have symptoms or not.
Quite clearly, as shown with me, you can still be carrying it and if you pass it on to someone else it can be very dangerous.
