Shin-Soo Choo had a fever. It wasn’t coronavirus, but ‘that’s what everybody was thinking’
Shin-Soo Choo arrived Thursday morning at the Texas Rangers’ clubhouse with chills, a fever and body aches.
His symptoms were more related to flu, though fever is a symptom of the coronavirus. Right or wrong, his nationality is a red flag, too.
“That’s what everybody was thinking,” Choo said.
He was sent to a doctor, who wore a mask throughout the exam and stayed at least an arm’s reach away from Choo.
Choo was fine Friday and scheduled to play against the Los Angeles Angels. He was cleared of all significant illnesses, and hasn’t presented any symptoms of coronavirus since arriving for spring training.
But he created a bit of scare.
“I don’t mind,” said Choo, whose parents live in South Korea. “I just laugh on the inside.”
The Rangers and MLB are on heightened alert for coronavirus, which originated in China but has spread to more than 30 countries and killed nearly 3,000 people. A student at Arizona State in Tempe (about an hour’s drive from Surprise) is the first confirmed case in the state.
MLB sent a memo Thursday to all teams, telling them to be diligent and to be prepared for more updates from the league if the virus continues to spread.
The Rangers are telling players and staff to wash their hands frequently and to make sure they sneeze and cough into their hands or elbows. Trainers have been advised to probe deeper when a player comes to them with a cough or runny nose.
Choo and reliever Wei-Chieh Huang, who is from Taiwan, have been asked if they have been in recent contact with anyone from Asia or if anyone they know has been.
The Rangers aren’t taking anything for granted with all personnel, even inquiring about something as routine as dining at an Asian restaurant.
“MLB sent out an internal statement to every team,” said Jamie Reed, the Rangers’ medical director. “MLB is monitoring the coronavirus very closely and giving teams updates and precautions.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 11:10 AM.
