Ex-Man United star out of hospital after virus scare

FILE – Shandong Luneng’s Marouane Fellaini celebrates after scoring a goal during the AFC Champions League group stage football match between China’s Shandong Luneng and South Korea’s Gyeongnam FC in Jinan in China’s eastern Shandong province on May 8, 2019. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT

Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus, his club said.

The 32-year-old Shandong Luneng midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation.

The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine.

While in hospital in the city of Jinan, Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room.

“Fellaini was assessed and was deemed to have recovered, and was discharged today,” Shandong said in a brief statement.

China, where the outbreak emerged in December, says that it has curbed the illness at home but is now worried about a second wave of infections from overseas.

Fellaini’s positive test dealt a blow to the CSL’s hopes of starting the season any time soon, after its February 22 start date was indefinitely postponed.

Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros.

He enjoyed a productive first season in China, scoring 12 goals in 34 matches and providing five assists.