Monet, XXS, Borax, and staff of Team Aster test positive for COVID-19 in Romania

Several members of Chinese organization Team Aster have tested positive for COVID-19 after undergoing PCR tests and are employing self-quarantining measures just eight days before the start of Dota 2’s The International 10.

Three players—Monet, XXS, and Borax—the team’s coach, manager, and an accompanying video team were deemed to have tested positive, according to an official announcement from Aster’s Weibo.

Fortunately, Aster clarified that all positively-tested members are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, adding that the team’s manager had not left the hotel except to purchase necessities. All five Chinese teams attending The International 10 are staying in the same hotel and Aster notified its compatriots of the situation immediately.

Three accompanying Chinese teams—Elephant, Vici Gaming, Invictus Gaming—announced that all players and staff had tested negative. PSG.LGD released a message wishing for everybody going to the event to be safe and healthy, but the org has yet to confirm the status of its players and staff.

TI10 is set to begin on Oct. 7. Since the group stage is expected to be played in isolated hotel rooms, Aster should still be able to participate with little issue. If they qualify for the main event where spectators are allowed, more precautions might be taken depending on the players’ conditions.

After skipping a year due to the pandemic, Dota 2’s premier event is taking place in Bucharest this year, with fully vaccinated and masked spectators allowed. With more than $40 million up for grabs, the competition’s latest edition is esports’ biggest prize pool, eclipsing TI9’s previous record of $34 million.

Update Oct. 1 2:40am CT: IG released an update on the team’s situation on Sept. 30, noting that off laner JThiay “JT-” Jun Wen came down with feverish symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 after a second PCR test. The player, who shared a room with another staff member who’s asymptomatic, has self-quarantined. JT-‘s fever has since abated.

All 10 members of Team Aster have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report today from Tiffani “Babyoling” Lim, a well-known Dota 2 personality.