South Africa v England: Alastair Cook says finishing tour 'pretty much impossible'
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England were due to play Sunday's one-day international in Paarl
It is "pretty much impossible" for England's tour of South Africa to continue after the coronavirus cases, says former captain Alastair Cook.
Two members of the England party have returned "unconfirmed positive tests".
One-day internationals on Friday and Sunday were called off after positive tests from a South Africa player and two members of hotel staff.
"I would be very surprised if this series continued," Cook told BBC Radio 5 Live.
The final two ODIs of the three-match series are scheduled for Monday and Wednesday, the former rearranged after Friday's game was called off.
England are due to fly home on Thursday.
They are waiting for their positive tests to be independently ratified before a decision on the remaining games is taken.
That is unlikely to come until Monday, but it is possible that the matches could be played on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"I'd imagine that the players will want to come home," said Cook, who led England in 59 of his 161 Tests and 69 of his 92 ODIs.
The game on Friday was postponed off after an unnamed South Africa player tested positive for coronavirus.
Although the South Africa squad subsequently returned negative test results, England were tested as a precaution on Saturday following the positive tests of two members of the hotel staff.
The two positive tests returned by the unnamed members of the England camp have led to all players and staff self-isolating in their hotel rooms until they receive further medical advice.
England are due to play Test series against Sri Lanka and India in the new year, with the squad for Sri Lanka set to leave the UK on 2 January.
"Will the players want to go to Sri Lanka?" said Cook. "Another outbreak would mean doing all the hard work, going out there, and still not playing anyway if one Covid breach brings the whole thing down.
"That will be another question. Is it worth waiting for the vaccine when things can hopefully get back to normal?"
Any potential coronavirus outbreak in the England camp would also call into question how the players and staff would spend Christmas.
"I know home Christmases are a very small thing, but it is a very special thing for an England cricketer to be at home for Christmas and be able to spend time with their family," said Cook, England's all-time leading run-scorer in international cricket.
"The last thing they'll want to do is be isolating in a South African hotel, not being able to get home."
The South Africa tour is England's first trip abroad since their series in Sri Lanka in March was abandoned because of the pandemic.
England managed to fulfil entire home summer schedule by playing matches in a bio-secure 'bubble' at grounds without spectators.
Their time in South Africa has also been spent in a bubble, with players from both sides only leaving the same Cape Town hotel to play and train.
Before the Twenty20 series that preceded the ODIs - which England won 3-0 - two South Africa players tested positive for coronavirus and another two were placed into isolation.
"It was amazing this summer that nothing happened and every game happened," said Cook.
"The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) have to get a lot of credit for organising it in that way. At times you probably thought the measures were a bit over the top, but they were all worth it to get all the games on."
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