The 47th Annual Rick Lapointe Memorial hockey tournament was cut short for some after a possible norovirus outbreak among the players.
Teams from the west coast were playing at three different southern Vancouver Island rinks – the Ian Stewart Racquet Club Complex, Juan de Fuca Arena, Pearkes Arena and Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre – for the Bantam-level Showcase which began on Thursday.
A spokesperson from Island Health said several players were affected by a “norovirus-like outbreak” during the tournament.
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According to HealthLinkBC, norovirus can cause an upset stomach, vomiting, cramping, fever and chills for up to three days. Treatment isn’t usually required, but the virus can be spread easily as it survives on surfaces for long periods of time if not properly disinfected with bleach and water.
Island Health is working with the tournament organizers to manage the outbreak. The affected players are no longer playing and the other athletes are being monitored.
The Island Health spokesperson noted that extra hygiene measures have been implemented for tournament attendees and that many of the ill players have gone home. Those who took the ferry back to the Lower Mainland were quarantined in their vehicles during the sailing to limit the spread of the virus.
The tournament concludes on Sunday at the Ian Stewart Complex with the A2 final at 10 a.m. and the A1 at 12:30 p.m.
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