Usain Bolt self-isolates following Covid-19 test - days after celebrating his 34th birthday at a party with no masks or social distancing in Jamaica 'attended by guests including England star Raheem Sterling'
- Jamaican radio says Bolt will self-isolate after testing positive for coronavirus
- Reports say the 34-year-old received the positive result on Sunday after taking the test a few days ago
- His birthday celebrations are thought to have involved Sterling, cricketer Chris Gayle and Bayer Leverkusen player Leon Bailey
Usain Bolt has today confirmed he is self-isolating after taking a Covid-19 test just days after partying with guests including England star Raheem Sterling for his 34th birthday in Jamaica.
The sprint star, who turned 34 on Friday, posted a video on his Twitter page after reports from Nationwide90fm, a radio station in Jamaica, that he had contracted the deadly disease.
The Olympic legend confirmed he is in self-isolation at his home in Jamaica after taking a Covid-19 test on Saturday.
However the retired athlete neither confirmed or denied having Covid-19. But he does say he is not suffering from any symptoms.
Lying in bed, he said: 'Good morning everybody, just waking up. Like everybody, I've checked social media, social media's saying I'm confirmed [as having coronavirus]. I did a test on Saturday because I have work [abroad].
'I'm trying to be responsible so I'm going to stay in for me and my friends. Also, I have no symptoms.
'I'm going to quarantine myself and wait to see what the protocol is. Until then, I'm quarantined by myself and just taking it easy. Be safe out there.'
The sprint star posted a video on his Twitter account this afternoon confirming he has taken a corornavirus test and is in self-isolation
Usain Bolt celebrated his 34th birthday with an outdoor party where guests were singing and dancing outdoors
Usain Bolt (pictured in action at the London 2017 world athletics championships) has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus after a surprise birthday party
The 34-year-old tweeted 'Best birthday ever' last week and a Jamaican outlet reports that he took a coronavirus test days ago and has tested positive for the disease
Bolt was honoured with a surprise birthday party on August 21 which was attended by a host of big names.
Manchester City star Sterling, Bayer Leverkusen attacker Leon Bailey and cricket legend Chris Gayle are believed to have been in attendance.
Sterling's season finished on August 15 when City were knocked out of the Champions League, and the team have been granted a delayed start to the 2020/21 season because of their European involvement.
Footage from the party showed Bolt laughing and dancing with his guests and even taking the microphone while speakers blared out an Adele song at the outdoor bash.
The guests also danced to the song Lockdown which was produced by Jamaican reggae singer Koffee in reference to the pandemic
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Bolt hailed it as the 'best birthday ever' in an Instagram post featuring a sweet picture of Bolt and his baby daughter Olympia.
It is not clear whether Bolt is suffering any symptoms of the disease but local media said he would 'proceed into isolation'.
Bolt would be one of the most prominent sportsmen in the world to contract the coronavirus, after tennis star Novak Djokovic tested positive in June and American major sports leagues were disrupted by bouts of the disease.
Guests including Manchester City star Raheem Sterling were believed to have been celebrating Bolt's birthday
Footage showed a crowd of people at the party, just days before the Olympic sprinting legend reportedly tested positive for coronavirus
The sprinter hailed the 'best birthday ever' in an Instagram post after turning 34 which featured a sweet picture of Bolt and his baby daughter Olympia
Jamaica has recorded a total of 1,413 cases of coronavirus and 16 deaths from the disease, with infections soaring in recent days.
After recording just 174 cases throughout the whole of July, Jamaica has seen 267 infections in just the last four days.
The Caribbean nation avoided going into the kind of widespread lockdown seen in Europe at the height of the pandemic, but did shut borders to foreign arrivals in May.
Borders were reopened in June, but travellers have to show a negative coronavirus test result in order to board the plane.
Travellers are then tested again upon arrival, and quarantined for 14 days if it comes back positive.
Overnight curfews are in place from 11pm until 5am, face masks are mandatory in public places, while gatherings of more than 20 people are not permitted.
The sprinting legend reportedly attended his birthday party in Jamaica last week
Manchester City star Raheem Sterling was reportedly in attendance at the party
On Saturday, prime minister Andrew Holness warned of a recent surge in cases and urged Jamaicans to 'exercise greater vigilance' to prevent the spread.
'There is a need for consciousness… for conscious personal responsibility on the part of every citizen,' he said.
Speaking a day after Bolt's birthday, the PM said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 20.
The Caribbean island's chief medical officer Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie said 'parties and night club activities' were linked to the recent spike.
'What we are seeing is that many persons do not perceive a threat to themselves. They believe that it happens to somebody else,' she warned.
The management for Bolt have been contacted for comment.
