Two Raleigh-area junior hockey teams in quarantine after positive coronavirus cases

Two Raleigh-area junior hockey teams are in quarantine as a precaution for coronavirus after a trip to Georgia last weekend.

Lincoln Flagg, the general manager and premier head coach for the Junior Hurricanes Premier and Elite, said players from both teams are in quarantine, according to CDC guidelines. He said three players tested positive and are in a safe house. They did not travel with the team to Georgia last weekend.

The Junior Hurricanes Premier and Elite teams are a franchise of the United States Premier Hockey League, and are not affiliated with the Carolina Junior Hurricanes Hockey Association, which sponsors travel youth hockey programs for boys and girls ages 8 through 19.

The Premier and Elite teams are comprised of players ages 16 to 20 who are possibvle college prospects.

After the trip to Georgia, the Premier and Elite teams identified additional COVID-19 cases. The entire team was placed in quarantine for two weeks.

"Since the new positive cases has been released, as a precaution, the whole team that traveled to Georgia are in quarantine for two weeks," Flagg said. "Even the bus drivers are in quarantine."

The two teams have around 60 players, with 10 testing positive before the trip to Georgia.

Flagg said those who have tested positive are not allowed to practice, and nobody can visit the safe house. Staff and coaches bring food to the front door of the house. Players are not showing any ill effects and are being monitored. Temperature checks are issued to the team, and everyone wears a mask.

The rink and locker rooms where the teams practice was shut down and cleaned.

Flagg also said the junior youth team program, comprised of 16-year-olds, have been following COVID-19 guidelines and do not have any positive cases yet. He said one of the requirements is that players are tested before they travel. If they have symptoms, they don't attend events.