Saint John Sea Dogs COVID-19 case not travel-related, team says

The positive COVID-19 case within the Saint John Sea Dogs organization is not travel-related, according to a news release issued by the team on Friday afternoon.

The staff member who tested positivehas not been outside the Atlantic bubble since prior to training camp, which began on Aug. 30, marketing and communications manager Jon Quinn said in a statement.

No other staff members or players have been outside the Atlantic bubble since joining the team for training camp either, he said.

The statement comes amid widespread rumours on social media that the infected member had travelled to Quebec and not self-isolated for 14 days after returning to New Brunswick, but rather attended Sea Dogs games on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14 and various restaurants and bars that COVID-19 exposure warnings have since been issued for.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has also postponed at least five upcoming games involving the Saint John Sea Dogs and the Cape Breton Eagles because of theconfirmed case.

"The staff member experienced sudden onset of multiple symptoms following this past weekend and received a COVID-19 test the same day," said Quinn. "They have been vigilant and in isolation since that date."

No new positive cases have been reported within the organization, he said, but testing is continuing.

All players are in confinement as well as "the majority" of staff.

The infected staff member has not visited this month any of the following businesses that have issued exposure notices: Five and Dime, Freddie's Pizza, Eighty Three Bar Arcade, and the Water Street Dinner Theatre, according to the statement.

Rocky'sSports Bar was not included on the list. The bar posted on social media that it was informed by Public Health on Thursday morning about a possible exposure to COVID-19 during the evenings of Nov. 13 andNov. 14.

The bar has decided to shut down "to assess the situation" and will remain closed until further notice, the post advised.