Times Of Swaziland: FIVE ‘BIRDS’ PLAYERS COVID-19+ FIVE ‘BIRDS’ PLAYERS COVID-19+ ================================================================================ BY SANELE JELE on 13/12/2021 08:32:00 MBABANE – The fourth wave is said to have already rattled the Mbabane Swallows camp. This is after five ‘Birds’ players allegedly tested positive for COVID-19. According to a reliable source close to the team, the players had to miss Saturday’s game against Milling Hot Spurs. The capital city giants had to struggle for a result without some of their key players. All thanks to a Felix Badenhorst’s goal that earned the ‘Birds’ a 1-0 win. The game was played at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium. Reached for comment, Swallows coach Christopher Ennin only wanted to comment about the game, not on the issue of COVID-19. “The only players who missed the game were because of injuries,” Ennin said. Asked that it was not affecting them because they were starting to gel, he said: “While it is true that we missed them, we have depth here at Swallows, when others are out injured, equally good players will fill their void,” he said. He said he was happy with the positive despite missing some of his players. He said they were taking one game at a time and were positive to get good results. Efforts to get comments from the team’s Marketing and Communications Manager Mancoba Mabuza were futile as when called last night, his mobile phone rang unanswered. A text message was sent to his WhatsApp of which it only ticked once. The COVID-19 cases have been increasing at an alarming rate. On Saturday, the COVID-19 cases were at 1002. The number of confirmed cases are 52 174 with 1 248 deaths. Despite the over 1002 active cases, there have been no reported death since the start of the fourth wave. Government through the Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini on Friday lifted the curfew but warned the nation to observe COVID19 measures.