The Ottawa Senators confirmed late Tuesday night that one of their players has indeed tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The news comes just five days after the NHL announced it would pause its 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Senators made the announcement via press release Tuesday night:
OTTAWA (March 17, 2020) – An Ottawa Senators player has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The player has had mild symptoms and is in isolation.
The Ottawa Senators are in the process of notifying anyone who has had known close contact with the athlete and are working with our team doctors and public health officials. As a result of this positive case, all members of the Ottawa Senators are requested to remain isolated, to monitor their health and seek advice from our team medical staff.
The health of our players, fans, and community remains our highest priority. We will continue to do everything we can to help ensure our players, staff, fans and the greater community remain safe and healthy during this time of uncertainty due to the spread of the coronavirus.
An Ottawa Senators player has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The player has had mild symptoms and is in isolation.
MORE: https://t.co/c0W87y7bHX pic.twitter.com/UAxLPmaf2o
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 18, 2020
The Athletic’s James Mirtle is reporting that several Senators are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and that it appears the team may have caught the virus from an NBA team.
According to the Athletic story, the team recently completed a trip through California before the NHL shutdown play last Thursday afternoon. The organization suspects that the infection occurred when the Senators used the same Staples Center dressing room as the Brooklyn Nets — the NBA team that has now had four positive COVID-19 tests — the day after they played the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Multiple Senators are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. It may not just be one player.
And it appears they got it from an NBA team on the last day before the NHL shutdown. Story: https://t.co/WyAQR4AyTw
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) March 18, 2020
On Tuesday afternoon, the Nets announced that four players — including NBA all-star Kevin Durant — have tested positive for COVID-19.
That Senators-Kings game was the last NHL game played before the shutdown went into effect.
