Twenty-five members of the Vancouver Canucks, including 18 active roster members, three tax squad players, and four staffers, have tested positive for COVID-19.
The club confirmed Wednesday that the entire team remains in quarantine amid the outbreak.
The Canucks last played on March 24. The NHL has postponed all of the Canucks’ games through April 12.
Canucks team doctor Jim Bovard and infectious disease physician Josh Douglas released a joint statement saying that the source of the outbreak began with a single individual being infected in a community environment.
“This is a stark reminder of how quickly the virus can spread and its serious impact, even among healthy, young athletes,” the doctors said.
The doctors did not release the condition of those who tested positive.
The Athletic reported that a number of those who tested positive have experienced rough symptoms, and for several players, this was their second COVID-19 infection.
The Canucks are part of a seven-team “North Division,” of all Canadian teams. Because of border regulations, teams have not been allowed to cross the U.S./Canada border.
While there have been a handful of contests called off due to COVID-19, the NHL has largely escaped any major outbreaks like the one that has gripped Vancouver.
MLB encountered several team-wide outbreaks during the 2020 season, which forced several teams to postpone games for several weeks.
Professional sports have largely relied on frequent COVID-19 testing in order to conduct competitions, but the plan has not been foolproof.
