Nigerian Footballer, Victor Osimhen Accused Of Bringing Deadly Covid-19 Variant To Italy

Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen has been accused of bringing a new deadly COVID-19 variant to Italy upon his return from Nigeria.

Osimhen had tested positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of January, upon his return to Naples from Nigeria where he had attended a surprise birthday party without wearing a protective mask.

After a routine test carried out by his club Napoli, the Nigerian International was forced to isolate for two weeks before getting the all clear to play again.

However, a media house in Italy, Regione Campania, reported earlier this week that a new COVID-19 variant had been detected in a “professional returning from Africa.”

“A professional returning from a trip to Africa tested positive for COVID-19 and thanks to the collaboration between the laboratories of Federico II and the Hospital Pascale, Giuseppe Portella of Federico II identified a highly suspicious case and in a very short time the team of Nicola Normanno discovered a COVID variant never detected in Italy so far,” the statement read.

According to Il Napolista, Victor Osimhen is the “professional” mentioned in the statement, who Italian doctors claimed brought new COVID-19 variant which is deemed as more deadly to Italy.

But in a statement released by Hospital Federico II in Naples, Napoli denied that the individual in question is Osimhen.

“We categorically deny the news that Napoli player Victor Osimhen is the professional from Africa that would have allowed to isolate the variant Covid B.1.525.

“There are no players of SSC Calcio Napoli involved in this. All health data are always strictly processed in full respect of the protection of privacy,” Federico II said.

A Napoli spokesman also told ANSA “every Napoli player underwent swab tests after Osimhen had tested positive, verifying that no other player had been infected.

“The club is waiting for official news from health authorities on the fact that Osimhen may have had the variant.”

KanyiDaily recalls that the 22-year-old striker Victor Osimhen struck a five-year deal with the Italian club Napoli, seven months ago.