The Egyptian FA confirmed on Wednesday that Mohamed Salah has again tested positive for coronavirus.
The news will come as a blow to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool as it means their key attacker will miss Sunday's clash with table-topping Leicester City.
Salah, who is the joint leading scorer in the English top-flight with eight goals, could also be ruled out of the Champions League match with Atalanta at Anfield next Wednesday and the following weekend's trip to Brighton.
The EFA confirmed that Salah, said to be showing only mild symptoms, had been tested again on Wednesday and that the result was positive.
Salah tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday and went into isolation which meant he missed Egypt's African Cup of Nations double-header against Togo.
The news of Salah's first positive test came after he reportedly attended his brother's wedding, with footage posted on social media appearing to show him dancing with other guests.
On Tuesday, the 28-year-old thanked supporters on social media for their messages of goodwill and assured them that he will "be back on the field soon".
The previous day, it was announced that Salah's fellow Egyptian intentional – and Arsenal midfielder – Mohamed Elneny had contracted the virus and was also self-isolating.
Elneny, who played in Egypt's 1-0 home win over Togo on Saturday, is set to miss the Gunners' Premier League fixture at Leeds United on Sunday after also testing positive for a second time. He is said to be asymptomatic
And Arsenal suffered a second blow when the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation confirmed that defender Sead Kolasinac has tested positive for Covid.
The 27-year-old played in the 3-1 Nations League defeat in the Netherlands on Sunday but is now self-isolating and will not be involved in the match against Italy on Wednesday night.
Liverpool were already dealing with an injury crisis before Salah's positive test last week. Key centre-half Virgil van Dijk is already set to miss most of the season after undergoing knee surgery, while manager Jurgen Klopp is also without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.
Andy Robertson, Fabinho, Thiago and Jordan Henderson are all doubtful for Sunday's game at Anfield.
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Premier League top scorers
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PREMIER LEAGUE TOP SCORERS 2020/21: =9) Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palaces) 5 goals in 8 appearances. AFP -
=9) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) 5 goals in 7 games. Reuters -
=9) Danny Ings (Southampton) 5 goals in 7 games. Reuters -
=7) Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) 6 goals in 8 games. Getty -
=7) Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) 6 goals in 7 games. PA -
=5) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) 7 goals in 8 games. AP -
=5) Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) 7 goals in 8 appearances. Reuters -
=1) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 8 goals in 8 games. Reuters -
=1) Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton) 8 goals in 8 games. AFP -
= 1) Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) 8 goals in 8 games. AFP -
=1) Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) 8 goals in 7 games. Reuters -
PREMIER LEAGUE ALL-TIME TOP SCORERS: =10) Les Ferdinand (Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers) 149 goals in 351 games. Getty -
=9) Michael Owen (Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Stoke City) 150 goals in 326 appearances. Getty -
=9 ) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City) 150 goals in 218 games. Reuters -
8) Jermain Defoe (West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Bournemouth) 162 goals in 469 appearances. -
7) Robbie Fowler (Liverpool, Leeds United, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers) 163 goals in 379 appearances. Getty -
6) Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 175 goals in 258 appearances. AFP -
5) Frank Lampard (West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City) 177 goals in 609 appearances. AFP -
4) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 180 goals in 265 appearances. Getty -
3) Andy Cole (Newcastle United, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sunderland). 187 goals in 414 appearances. Getty -
2) Wayne Rooney (Everton, Manchester United) 208 goals in 491 appearances. EPA -
1) Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United) 260 goals in 441 appearances. Getty
