Hockey player Surender Kumar readmitted to hospital due to COVID-19 VT complication

Indian hockey player Surender Kumar, who along with five other hockey players had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, was readmitted to hospital on Thursday evening due to Venous Thrombosis (VT). VT is seen in several cases of COVID as a complication while they are in the recovery phase. The possibility of VT will increase with an increase in strenuous physical exercise during the recovery period.

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Health condition

Due to VT, he has formed a blood clot in the right upper limb and has thus been admitted to hospital for a period of two to three days during which treatment and medication would be given for recovery from VT. SAI officials had a conference call with the treating doctor who has informed that the condition of Surender Kumar is stable and there is no cause for concern at present. 

The other five players who had also tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently in quarantine have been advised not to take up strenuous activities while in recovery. Surender, along with Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan B Pathak, and Mandeep Singh, was discharged from hospital on August 17 and are in quarantine at Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru.

Read: Hockey Captain Manpreet And Four Other Players Showing Only 'mild Symptoms': SAI Doctors

'Players in good spirits' 

Earlier, Indian men's and women's hockey team's camps had been postponed following the completion of their 14-day quarantine period. Sports Authority of India on August 12 made the announcement after having detailed discussions with Chief Coaches and core probables of both the teams. After giving the utmost priority to the safety and well-being of all the athletes, it has been decided that the sporting activities will be resumed at SAI's National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, as scheduled earlier.

"Following a detailed discussion with all our players and members of the support staff, I am delighted that we will be resuming sports activities here at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru. It is good to know that everyone is eager while making sure their health and wellbeing is our collective priority. We are also in constant touch with the six players who have tested positive for COVID-19. They are in good spirits and are looking forward to a quick recovery. Once recovered and after following the protocol of quarantine, we look forward to having them back with us," Graham Reid, men's chief coach said on Wednesday.

Read: Indian Hockey Players Discharged From Hospital After Recovering From COVID-19

Women's hockey team's Chief Coach Sjoerd Marijne said he has received a very positive response from his team. Marijne said, "I say it on behalf of the whole squad that we are very happy to be back at the National Camp and resuming sports activities by following all the protocols, and feeling safe. Having spoken to all the players about the resumption, I have received a positive response from each of them. We look forward to working hard on the team's fitness in this protected environment."

Amid growing concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary to have detailed discussions with all stakeholders of both the teams, which resulted in having their consensus on the resumption of sports activities from August 19, 2020, onwards while maintaining proper social distancing norms and other guidelines in the SAI SOP. 

"We are prepared to start sporting activities for the hockey teams. We will provide all logistical support required,  as required by the chief coaches of both teams in accordance with SOPs, and ensure that the teams can train in a safe environment," L Captain (Indian Navy) A K Bahl, Senior Director, NCOE Bengaluru said.

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