Lightning, Phillies players test positive in Fla.
Three Tampa Bay Lightning players and multiple staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus, the organization said Friday.
The positive tests came up as part of the twice-weekly testing, a league requirement under the Phase 2 protocol. The organization is waiting on results of more tests and is performing contact tracing.
Amalie Arena has officially been closed, but some employees have worked from the building, asked to follow social-distancing guidelines and wear masks. The building is now closed to all non-essential staff until at least July 6, according to an email sent internally.
“Those players have been self-isolated following CDC protocols and are asymptomatic other than a few cases of low-grade fever,” Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said in a statement. “Those who have been in contact with these individuals have been notified.
“The Lightning continue testing and are strictly following all NHL and government procedures as part of the league’s Phase 2 guidelines. Upon receiving positive tests yesterday, team training facilities were immediately closed with all players and staff being sent home. Those facilities will remain temporarily shut down until we can ensure a safe environment.”
The Lightning are the fourth NHL organization known to have players test positive, and the first since the start of Phase 2.
Ottawa had five players and a staff member test positive during the self-isolation phase. Colorado had four players test positive, Pittsburgh one. The Bruins announced one player tested positive during the initial Phase 2 testing, but that player twice.
This could be a similar situation, where follow-up testing could return negative for the Lightning players who originally tested positive. The organization needs to get further test results to determine how widespread this is and thus how to proceed.
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Five Phillies players and three staff members working at the team’s spring facility in Clearwater have tested positive for COVID-19, the organization said.
The identities of those infected were not released. None has required hospitalization, and NBC Sports Philadelphia, which first reported the news, said that “the virus appears to be under control in all of them.”
The Phillies added that eight staff members tested negative, and they were awaiting results on tests for 32 others — 12 staff members and 20 other players (major- and minor-league) living in the Clearwater area. As a result, the Phillies have closed Spectrum Field and the adjacent minor-league facility, managing partner John Middleton said, “until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control and our facilities are disinfected.”
The Blue Jays also shut their facility in Dunedin on Friday due to COVID-19 concerns, saying in a statement that team personnel were undergoing testing after “a player presented symptoms consistent with those of the virus.”
ESPN reported the player was a pitcher on the 40-man roster who recently spent time with Phillies minor-leaguers. GM Ross Atkins told ESPN, “We are being overly precautious with testing.”