7 COVID-19 cases linked to basketball tournaments at Durham facility

Health officials in Durham Region are urging participants at two basketball tournaments held in Oshawa over the last two weeks to get tested for COVID-19.

Durham Region Health Department says three cases of coronavirus have been linked to the Canadian Youth Basketball League (CYBL) tournament held at the Playground Global facility in Oshawa between Aug. 13 to 15. The three cases are from Durham and Peel regions.

An additional four cases have also been connected to The Last 1 Standing basketball tournament held from Aug 20 to 23 at the same facility. They have been traced to individuals in York Region, Toronto, Simcoe Muskoka and Durham Region.

In both cases the health department says it is having difficulty reaching all teams and spectators from both events.

“We’re anxious for those who attended the tournaments to get tested as soon as possible,” Durham’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Kyle told 680 NEWS. “We want to ascertain how many cases have occurred and we want to contain the outbreaks as quickly as possible.”

Kyle says all three tournaments happened with almost no protections against the coronavirus, including screening, masking and contact tracing.

“There were no COVID protocols in place so we’re working very hard to put them in place,” Kyle said. “We’re considering other legal instruments, instructions or orders to make sure they comply with the requirements of Step 3.”

This comes after 20 positive cases of COVID-19 were confirmed following the 43rd Annual Jane and Finch Classic basketball tournament held at the beginning of the month.

Health officials says all upcoming tournaments at the facility have been suspended until further notice.