Adrian Mariappa is the Watford player to have tested positive for coronavirus, the defender has revealed.

The Hornets confirmed last night that one player and two members of staff had received positive tests for Covid-19 following the Premier League's first round of testing.

The 33-year-old has now confirmed he is the player in question and has expressed his shock at the result.

In quotes published by Mailonline, Mariappa said: "Ever since I got my positive result back on Tuesday, I've been scratching my head to try to work out how I might have got coronavirus."

"It was a big surprise because I haven’t really left the house, apart from some exercise and the odd walk with the kids. I’ve mainly just been homeschooling and keeping fit.

"My lifestyle is very quiet, certainly no parties or going out or anything, so I really don’t know how I got it. Like most people, we’ve been having more deliveries of food and things, so maybe that’s one way, and my partner has been to the supermarket a few times.

"The club doctor called to tell me and, to be honest, I did ask whether it could be 100 per cent accurate or whether my results could have got muddled up. Maybe if I had been displaying any symptoms then it might have made sense.

"But in my head it wasn’t adding up."

The defender, who is symptom free, must now self-isolate for a week before taking a new test ahead of a potential return to training.

Explaining he had no symptoms and was feeling "as fit as ever, probably fitter because I’ve been working really hard", Mariappa said: "It’s quite scary how you can feel absolutely fine and not really have left the house, and yet still get the virus.

"If it wasn’t for the fact I had gone back to training and had this test, then I’d never have found out that I had the virus and I would just be getting on with things as normal. That’s obviously quite a strange thought."

News of Mariappa's positive result comes as Watford posted pictures on social media of head coach Nigel Pearson and some of the Hornets squad back in training at London Colney after Premier League clubs were given the green light on Monday to commence step one of the Return to Training Protocol.