The Sharks announced Thursday night that a part-time employee at SAP Center in San Jose tested positive for the coronavirus. The employee last worked on March 3, two days before the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health recommended "postponing or canceling mass gatherings and large community events where large numbers of people are within arm's length of one another."
Here's the statement from Sharks Sports & Entertainment:
"Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE) has received notification that a part-time employee at SAP Center at San Jose has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. This person is under self-quarantine and receiving care from medical professionals. We have been informed that this employee is recovering and feeling better.
"The individual last worked at the San Jose Sharks game at SAP Center on March 3, 2020, prior to the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department's March 5 recommended moratorium on public gatherings of over 1,000 people.
"In coordination with the public health department, SSE Management is following the health authority's determination that risk to the public from that exposure is low and that no additional precautions are necessary.
"SSE has proactively notified our ticket buyers today through our internal database.
"SSE will continue to monitor the situation."
The Sharks' game on March 3 was the third of a six-game homestand. The team played subsequent home games on March 5 against the Minnesota Wild, March 7 against the Ottawa Senators and March 8 against the Colorado Avalanche.
On March 9, the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health banned all events with more than 1,000 people in attendance, and the Sharks later announced they would play their three remaining March home games with no fans in SAP Center.
But on Thursday, a day after the Sharks played the Blackhawks in Chicago, the NHL announced that it was pausing its season due to the coronavirus outbreak.
