Ramsdale initially tested negative but returned a positive test days later.

The 22-year-old was asymptomatic but is one of eight people to test positive from across the Premier League so far.

"I imagine anxiety is there among the players," Howe told the Daily Mail. "I can only imagine they are feeling the same way as I am.'

"There was not one positive within our group during the early stages and we were comfortable and felt OK," added Howe, who was the first Premier League manager to take a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis.

"But as soon as you get that one positive test, that changes the mindset of everybody.

"Suddenly everyone feels vulnerable, everyone is alerted to the fact that this is serious and real.

"Then the unknown comes into play. That shook us. We are now waiting for our next testing times to see if anyone else was in contact with the player."

Gomes wants Deeney return

So far eight people from Premier League clubs have tested positive after 1,744 tests including Ramsdale, Watford defender Adrian Mariappa and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan.

Watford striker Troy Deeney opted to stay away from the club's training sessions in order to safeguard himself and his wider family from the spread of coronavirus.

Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes says the Hornets - who sit 17th in the Premier League - cannot afford to lose Deeney's services.

"There are clubs that can afford to do this, maybe miss one or two players, because the players are scared," Gomes said.

"In the situation we are in now... we need him, we need everybody to be onboard."

When Premier League action does return matches could be staged at neutral venues. The issue is will be discussed at a meeting on Thursday but Gomes believes playing games away from home stadiums favours the more successful clubs.

"If it's a neutral venue, the big clubs, the clubs that are from halfway in the table to first, I believe they've got an advantage, because they are winning, it means they are winning away from home as well," the 39-year-old added.

What is the latest with Project Restart?

BBC Sports News correspondent Laura Scott

The results of the third round of coronavirus tests results are expected to be made public on Wednesday.

Squads started non-contact training last Tuesday for the first time since the Premier League was suspended on 13 March because of the pandemic, with 92 fixtures remaining.

The government has since approved guidance that allows elite sport to return to contact training and on Wednesday, clubs voted unanimously to return to contact training.

Clubs will discuss further issues on Thursday including the use of neutral stadiums, how to decide the season in the event of curtailment and voting on rebates to broadcasters.

Speaking on Friday, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the league was "as confident as we can be" about restarting in June.