Chile confirm Inter Milan's Arturo Vidal recovering in hospital after positive Covid test

The diagnosis means the 34-year-old will miss Thursday's World Cup qualifier against Argentina

Arturo Vidal has been admitted to hospital in Chile after testing positive for Covid-19. EPA

Chile and Inter Milan midfielder Arturo Vidal is recovering in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.

A statement on the national team's website said that the 34-year-old tested positive for the virus after initially being hospitalised with severe tonsilitis.

“The medical team of the Chilean national team emphasises that at the request of the player Arturo Vidal, it is announced that he has been diagnosed positive for Covid," the statement said.

“Arturo has been hospitalised and isolated from the group for more than 72 hours in a preventive measure indicated by the medical team, due to the presentation of previously reported severe pleural tonsilitis.”

It said no other players in the squad had tested positive for the virus.

Vidal, who was vaccinated against the virus on Friday, was initially admitted to hospital with severe tonsilitis, but tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

As well as missing out against Argentina, the former Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus star is almost certain to miss the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Bolivia next week in Santiago.

Covid-19 infections in Chile remain above 6,000 daily cases and the health system is overwhelmed.

The virus has killed more than 29,000 people out of a total 1.3 million cases in the country.

Chile are also due to take part in the Copa America championship that gets under way in Brazil on June 13.

The 10-team South American tournament has been moved to Brazil, one of the countries worst affected by Covid, after Argentina was stripped as hosts on Sunday.