State issues safety reminder in wake of positive COVID cases at basketball tourneys
With recent basketball tournament games identified as the possible genesis of several positive COVID-19 cases in Kansas and more such games ongoing, the state Department of Health and Environment on Friday issued reminders about the threat posed by viral spread at sporting events.
The games in question took place during tournaments held last week by the Mid-America Youth Basketball (MAYB) organization.
“The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, along with local public health, is encouraging people who are attending sporting tournaments to please exercise appropriate prevention measures for COVID-19 as clusters are beginning to develop and potential exposures have occurred,” the state said in a news release.
Two positive cases are said to potentially have been traced to tournament games that took place at the Wichita Sports Forum:
- June 20 sessions from 8:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m.-5:30 p.m., 6:15 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
- June 21 session from 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Also identified by Kansas Health were the following games at the Hays Recreation Commission center:
- June 20: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- June 21: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
There were two positive cases at each site, according to Kansas Health. The teams and others who took part in or possibly attended the tournaments have removed from play and quarantined, MAYB national director Greg Raleigh said.
“Sports settings by their very nature may pose a higher risk for spread of COVID-19,” Kansas Health secretary Dr. Lee Norman said in a news release. “Sports have athletes breathing very heavy from physical exertion and spreading respiratory droplets, close contact with other players, indoor spaces where it may be difficult for individual to remain 6 feet apart and attendees who travel from outside the local area.”
The MAYB tournaments are two of four sports-related clusters under investigation by state and local public health officials, according to the release.
Raleigh said if anyone is worried he or she might contract the COVID-19 virus at a MAYB tournament — games are scheduled this weekend, too — they should not attend.
Refunds will be given if requested, he said.
“Anyone who attended any of these tournaments during the identified days and times should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after the last day they attended,” the Kansas Health news release said.
“Those symptoms include fever, cough, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, diarrhea, and/or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing.”
Click here for the full summer schedule of MAYB events
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 4:01 PM.