Irish Cheltenham racegoer has virus

An Irishman who was at the Cheltenham racing festival two weeks ago has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The man - who is based in the south of the country - is not seriously ill and has not required hospitalisation.

However, he has been told to remain in strict self-isolation and has been warned not to collect work equipment and machinery to bring to his home.

Contact-tracing is now under way to locate all those who were in close contact with the man. It is unclear whether he contracted the coronavirus in Cheltenham or in Ireland.

He lives and works in relatively close proximity to two known clusters of the virus in Ireland, both in the south.

His medical condition is now being carefully monitored by medics.

If the Cheltenham link is confirmed, it will represent the third major zone of travel-related infection in Ireland - with cases here previously linked to travel to Italy and France/Spain.

More than 20,000 Irish horse racing fans attended the four-day Cheltenham festival earlier this month despite mounting concerns over the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

Cheltenham confirmed its first case of Covid-19 in the days before the festival opened.

However, the festival went ahead, despite the widespread cancellation of sporting and cultural events in Ireland.

The Cotswolds venue annually attracts more than 20,000 Irish racing fans for what is considered the highlight of the national hunt calendar.