Javier Ernesto Jiménez Scull, the first Cuban athlete to be diagnosed with COVID-19, was discharged from the hospital after passing the epidemiological surveillance stage without difficulties, according to the Cuban website Jit.
The 31-year-old player hired at the Saaremaa VK club in Estonia tested positive days ago in Estonia, which currently has more than 400 cases.
Despite being asymptomatic, he underwent the test because he was the contact of the technical director of the Estonian team, who tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a match played in Italy, epicenter of the pandemic in Europe.
The vice president of the Cuban Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) and head of the Cuban Volleyball Federation, Ariel Saínz, reported that the news came through constant online communication with the Cuban athlete.
“He maintains a good state of mind and is aware of the efforts we made for his return, together with his club, the federation of that nation and our embassy there, which has been very important in all this process,” said the Cuban INDER representative in the published note.
“Now the most important thing is that he is fine and follows the indications of the specialists in detail,” said Saínz, who also reported that efforts are being made with the Estonian team and the embassies of both nations for the athlete’s return to the island.
Indoor volleyball and beach volleyball have not escaped the consequences of this global pandemic. The suspension of three stops on the NORCECA circuit was recently announced, including the one in Varadero, Cuba, which would take place from April 30 to May 4th.
