Scotties participants test positive for COVID-19

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This article was published 08/02/2022 (1630 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Several curlers from the recent Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont., tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home — but Manitoba athletes have, to date, avoided getting hit by the virus.

Speculation is swirling competitors from as many as five teams were affected, however, Curling Canada wouldn’t confirm numbers Tuesday.

“Individuals at the event have notified Curling Canada they tested positive after arriving home. Curling Canada cannot confirm the number of cases or the identities for privacy purposes, but can confirm there is more than one team impacted,” the federation said, in a statement. “We have contacted all the athletes, staff and the broadcaster to make them aware and requested they self-monitor for symptoms.”

Curling Canada said it is investigating the situation.

Kerri Einarson of Gimli, who captured a third consecutive Scotties title on Sunday night, said there’s been no signs of the virus among she or her teammates. Selena Njegovan said likewise for her East St. Paul team, skipped by Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont.

Fleury was one of two participants at the championship to test positive during ‘pre-arrival testing’ and was sidelined for the team’s first seven games.

As well, Mackenzie Zacharias confirmed she and the rest of her Altona crew are feeling just fine.

The same cannot be said for one member of Kerry Galusha’s team from Northwest Territories, who has symptoms.

“She wasn’t feeling well,” said Galusha. The Free Press isn’t naming the competitor who tested positive.

“We were shocked that anyone was positive,” said Galusha, who beat Zacharias in a Friday-morning tiebreaker to make the playoffs for the first time in 15 Scotties appearances but bowed out later in the day following a loss to New Brunswick.

“It’s really weird how it’s choosing to affect certain people and not others. We lived together for 13 days… no idea how we were all negative and she wasn’t.”

Curling Canada said there were no positive tests during the competition.

Galusha said she’s now heard as many as a dozen curlers tested positive upon returning home. She praised the work of Curling Canada and all participants for trying their best to keep everyone safe.

“Everyong followed the rules as far as we know. Everyone stayed in the bubble and we tested every day. Everyone I talked to felt really safe. All we did was either curl or go back to our hotel rooms.”

The federation still has a pair of major events to host this season: the Brier national men’s championship, March 4-13 in Lethbridge, Alta., and the world women’s championship, with Einarson representing Canada, March 19-27 in Prince George, B.C.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell