Coronavirus: Portsmouth's Sean Raggett 'mortified' he tested positive - as defender was in a pub when he found out
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The on-loan Norwich City defender was with friends at The Star, in Gillingham, Kent – oblivious of the government’s advice to avoid pubs.
The club revealed on Saturday that he was one of four players - along with James Bolton, Andy Cannon and Haji Mnoga - to have been diagnosed with coronavirus.
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Hide AdAfter being called by physio Bobby Bacic to inform him of his test result, Raggett said he was left 'mortified’.
Speaking to The Sun, the 26-year-old said: 'I was mortified. I couldn't believe I had come up positive because I haven't had any symptoms whatsoever. It's really scary stuff.'
The centre-back immediately left The Star – unaware of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement earlier that day that pubs and restaurants should shut to curb the spread of the virus.
He said: ‘I didn’t watch or hear the Prime Minister’s briefing so I had no idea pubs had been told to close.’
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Hide AdRaggett was in Kent to visit his parents for Mother's Day – and failing to reach them on the phone to tell them he needed to cancel his plans, he visited them in person to let them know.
He added: ‘I knocked on the front door then stood a few metres back and spoke to my dad and sister.
‘I told them the news and obviously let them know I couldn’t stay with them because I had caught the infection.’
Raggett and his friends, who accompanied him to the pub, as well as his girlfriend, are now self-isolating.
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Hide AdPompey chief executive, Mark Catlin, said: ‘Football is not immune from this virus — and I can assure you that it only really hits home when those that you know contract it.'
All players who test positive are self-isolating as per government guidelines.
The team is waiting for the results of 10 further tests.
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