Coronavirus: South African golfer Victor Lange tests positive

The golf world has been thrown into chaos by the coronavirus, with the first two majors of 2020 - the Masters and the PGA Championship both being postponed. [Courtesy]

A professional golfer has tested positive for Covid-19, the disease at the centre of a global pandemic.

The PGA Tour revealed in a statement on Thursday that South African Victor Lange was tested on Sunday and received his diagnosis on Tuesday.

Lange had finished play in the Estrella del Mar Open in Mazatlan, Mexico, a week before his test, and the tournament was his lone PGA Tour Latinoamerica event this year.

“We have offered our support as he recovers under quarantine and with medical supervision at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Victor has relayed his gratitude toward fellow players and fans who have offered words of concern and encouragement,” said PGA Tour.

Lange left Mazatlan in Mexico the day after the tournament to return to South Africa and he was tested after taking a friend to a doctor’s office for a non-coronavirus appointment.

PGA Tour said it would alert those he may have come in contact with to go for testing.

“We appreciate Victor’s prompt disclosure of his diagnosis, which allows the PGA Tour to not only alert those he may have come in contact with during his lone PGA Tour Latinoamerica start this season.

“It also provides an opportunity to remind fans of the critical need to follow current recommendations and mandates to protect others, particularly those with underlying health conditions and the elderly.”

Victor Lange is ranked 1,215th in the world. [Courtesy]

The virus originated from Wuhan in China in December last year.

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.

According to official numbers on Thursday (19/03/2020), there are currently 220,228 coronavirus cases in the world with 8,982 succumbing to the deadly virus. 85,769 people have recovered from Covid-19.