Gabon is off to a bad start in its 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign after captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and midfielder Mario Lemina tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Cameroon.

Assistant coach Yala Anicet also tested positive after taking a lateral flow test.

News of the test results emerged on Thursday, just four days before the Panthers play their first match against Comoros.

The Central Africans travelled to Cameroon from Dubai where they have been holding camp for final preparations for the continental showpiece.

Aubameyang and Lemina are some of the most experienced players in the Gabonese side, and are considered to be key to the team’s quest to leave a mark in Cameroon.

Gabon has never made it past the quarterfinal stage of an AFCON tournament, but recent results have buoyed fans' hopes that the upcoming edition can provide an opportunity for an improvement.

The COVID-19 outbreak has been a major talking point ahead of the 2021 AFCON which is scheduled to begin on Sunday.

Last month, the European Clubs Association (ECA) threatened to block players from representing their countries at the tournament, with concerns over the rise in Omicron variant cases and travel restrictions put in place by government authorities.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced a raft of strict measures to be followed by players, staff, officials and fans to ensure their safety during the tournament.

Among the measures, fans will have to show proof of full vaccination and also provide negative PCR test results taken within 72 hours before they can be allowed into stadiums at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

Players will also undergo tests during the tournament, and the continental body has contracted a foreign entity to be in charge of the tests throughout the month-long event.