Elks say 9 players positive for COVID-19, team in isolation
The Edmonton Elks say nine players have tested positive for COVID-19 since the club returned home from a game against the B.C. Lions.
The Elks confirmed that five players tested positive on Sunday and four additional players tested positive Monday.
Team president and chief executive officer Chris Presson said players and staff are isolating and the team's practice facility has been shut down for seven days.
“Everyone has been tested, both from a PCR standpoint and a rapid standpoint and we'll continue to test daily until we're clean,” Presson told reporters Monday.
The update comes a day after the CFL postponed Thursday's game between the Argonauts and Elks at Toronto after an unspecified number of Edmonton players tested positive.
“It's been a challenging last two or three days, to put it mildly,” Presson said.
Edmonton's last game was a 21-16 victory over the Lions on Thursday in Vancouver. The CFL said the Lions would be closely monitored this week but that they were not exposed to a high risk of infection. The Lions are scheduled to play the Ottawa Redblacks on Aug. 28.
Presson said the positive tests came from “a mix” of vaccinated and unvaccinated players, but did not provide names or more specific numerical breakdown.
“Obviously we picked it up somewhere and we're going to have to remain extremely diligent,” he said. “Not only was this a wake-up call for our organization, bit I would suggest it's a wake-up call for the entire league to continue to do what they're doing to stay clean.”
Presson said he is confident the game against the Argonauts will be made up at some point in the season.
According to CFL protocols, if a game is cancelled due to COVID-19 issues and can't be rescheduled, the club suffering from the COVID-19 issues will forfeit a 1-0 loss. If both squads have COVID-19 issues, each will forfeit the game and be assigned losses.
In either scenario, if a team can prove at least 85 per cent of its players under contract have been vaccinated, at least once, the players will receive their salary for the cancelled game. If that figure falls below 85 per cent, players won't be paid.
Presson said he couldn't say how many players on his team have been vaccinated, other than “it's greater than not.”
Asked about reports that the Elks had the lowest vaccination rate among players in the CFL, Presson said at least two other teams had lower rates when he last saw the numbers.
“We can only do what we can do, which is to follow the protocols the league has laid out for us,” he said.
After three weeks of the CFL season, the Elks are the only team to report positive COVID-19 cases. Two players tested positive before the team's season opener, with a staff member returning what ended up being a false positive.
The Elks' next scheduled game is the annual Labour Day Classic rivalry matchup against the Stampeders in Calgary. Presson said the team will have to see how testing goes this week before addressing the status of that game.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.