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. 2020 Oct 16;69(41):1492-1493.
doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6941a4.

An Outbreak of COVID-19 Associated with a Recreational Hockey Game - Florida, June 2020

David Atrubin, Michael Wiese, Becky Bohinc

An Outbreak of COVID-19 Associated with a Recreational Hockey Game - Florida, June 2020

David Atrubin et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. .

Abstract

On June 16, 2020, a recreational ice hockey game was played at an ice rink in the Tampa Bay, Florida, metropolitan area. Teams A and B, each consisting of 11 players (typically six on the ice and five on the bench at any given time), included men aged 19-53 years. During the 5 days after the game, 15 persons (14 of the 22 players and a rink staff member) experienced signs and symptoms compatible with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)*; 13 of the 15 ill persons had positive laboratory test results indicating infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been documented at a choir practice (1) and at meat processing plants (2,3); however, apart from an outbreak involving 57 infected dancers that has been linked to high-intensity fitness dance classes in South Korea (4) and a cluster of five infected persons at a squash facility in Slovenia (5), few published reports are available regarding transmission associated with specific sports games or practices. In addition, outbreaks of COVID-19 infections among amateur hockey players in the United States have recently been reported in the news.†.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. David Atrubin reports that he plays hockey in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. No other potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Figures

FIGURE
FIGURE
COVID-19 cases associated with a recreational ice hockey game, by date of onset (N = 15) — Florida, June 2020 Abbreviation: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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