World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus, after celebrating his 34th birthday with a big bash mask-free last week.
Bolt's agent, Ricky Simms, has confirmed the Olympic great's positive test to CNN.
"The COVID test was positive, but Usain is not showing any symptoms," Simms says.
Bolt, who holds world records over 100m and 200m, has been self-isolating at his Jamaican home, while waiting to hear his test results.
"Just to be safe, I quarantined myself and just taking it easy," Bolt said in a social media video that he appeared to record himself, while lying in bed.
The message was posted with the caption: "Stay safe my ppl."
The only sprinter to win 100m and 200m golds at three consecutive Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016) said he did not have any symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2017, took the test after he celebrated his birthday at a party where partygoers danced to the hit 'Lockdown' by Jamaican reggae singer Koffee.
Among the guests were West Indian cricket great Chris Gayle, and Jamaican-born footballers Raheem Sterling and Leon Bailey.
"Best birthday ever," Bolt wrote on Instagram, posting a photo of himself holding daughter Olympia, who was born in May.
Fans wished Bolt a speedy recovery on social media - "Drink up your ginger tea," one wrote - although some accused him of carelessness.
"It is now public knowledge that Mr Bolt has been tested positive," says Jamaican Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton.
"He has been formally notified - I'm told - by the authorities and in keeping with standard protocols, once there is a positive case, irrespective of the individual, it triggers an approach to questioning - interrogation if you will - which would then follow through with contact tracing."
Confirmed cases in Jamaica have surged to more than 60 per day over the past four days, from less than 10 just a few weeks ago.
Jamaica now has 1612 confirmed cases, with 622 active cases and 16 deaths from coronavirus.
Reuters/Newshub
