Rwanda international Solomon Nirisarike has tested positive for Covid-19 and immediately started a 14-day quarantine, ruling him out of the national team’s camp ahead of the double-header against Cape Verde in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Jackson Rutayisire, team manager of the men’s senior national football team – Amavubi, confirmed the development to Times Sport on Friday morning.

"Unfortunately he won’t be part of the team, he is Covid-19 positive and that will take up to two weeks (or more) to recover,” he said.

"The coach has enough alternatives on his position, I think his absence will not do much harm.”

The 27-year-old, a central defender for Armenian side Pyunik, is one of the 10 foreign-based players Amavubi head coach Vincent Mashami had named on his side’s 37-man provisional squad to face Cape Verde next month.

Amavubi will play away to Cape Verde at Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde on November 11 before hosting the return leg on November 17. The two sides make Group F along with Cameroon and Mozambique.

Mashami’s side are winless after two match rounds, having lost 2-0 to Mozambique and 2-1 to Cameroon last November.