“There isn’t any offender right here apart from the COVID virus itself,” mentioned Dr. Jim Bovard.
“We all know that the person had gone to a spot inside the tips, and that place subsequently was found to have circumstances of COVID and that is the way it received into our group.”
So far, 21 Canucks gamers and 4 workers members have examined optimistic for a variant of the virus, though which variant continues to be being decided by the B.C. Centre for Illness Management.
Six Canucks video games have been postponed to date.
The Canucks have confirmed that the outbreak started with a single, unnamed particular person on the workforce who was contaminated in a neighborhood setting that has since been closed for virus transmission.
Ahead Adam Gaudette was the primary Canuck to check optimistic for COVID-19 on March 30.
He was pulled off the ice mid-practice, resulting in questions on why gamers had been capable of take part in group coaching the place they can’t bodily distance or put on a face masks when outcomes of their every day COVID assessments had not been finalized.
In keeping with Bovard, the Canucks had been following protocols set by the NHL which have been in pressure since June 2020.
He mentioned the severity of the circumstances on the workforce has been manageable, and that nobody has been hospitalized thus far.
“We’re following the curve like each different curve the place we had a peak in circumstances … and it is beginning to decelerate. So we’re transferring away from the brand new an infection part, to coping with the an infection part, to beginning with restoration.”
Thursday was the primary time in over every week with no new Canucks’ COVID circumstances introduced, though Normal Supervisor Jim Benning mentioned relations had been nonetheless falling sick.
The Canucks have performed 37 of their 56-game schedule. Benning mentioned the workforce and the NHL have each intention of Vancouver ending the common season as soon as public well being provides the inexperienced gentle for gamers to return to work.
He mentioned the workforce, the NHL and the NHL Gamers Affiliation could be assembly later Friday to speak about subsequent steps.
“They will focus on immediately about a chance to open up services once more to get our gamers again skating and, from there, determine when to start out enjoying video games once more,” mentioned Benning.
Heading into Friday’s video games the Canucks (16-18-3) path Montreal by eight factors for the ultimate playoff spot.
Bovard mentioned the COVID-19 outbreak has been exhausting on the workforce and its households.
“These gamers have gone from being hockey gamers — a number of the most resilient, robust, effectively balanced individuals on the planet — to out of the blue fathers, husbands, sons and brothers, and it takes on an entire totally different ingredient for them.”
