By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A record 103 Premier League players and staff tested positive for Covid in the seven days up to and including 26 December, new figures show.
The previous weekly league record was 90 cases, announced a week ago.
A total of 15,186 tests were carried out between 20 and 26 December, as the Premier League has reintroduced daily testing of players and staff.
Fifteen English top-flight games have been called off so far during December because of coronavirus cases.
A Premier League statement read: “The safety of everyone is a priority and the Premier League is taking all precautionary steps in response to the impact of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“The league has reverted to its emergency measures, and has increased testing of players and club staff to daily lateral flow and twice-weekly PCR tests, having previously carried out lateral-flow testing twice a week.
“The league can today confirm that between Monday 20 December and Sunday 26 December, 15,186 COVID-19 tests were administered on players and club staff. Of these, there were 103 new positive cases.”