Region investigating strong probability of Omicron cases associated with two hockey tournaments

Region of Waterloo Public Health is reporting the strong probability that two COVID-19 outbreaks at hockey tournaments involving local players are associated with the Omicron variant.

Eleven COVID-19 cases have been linked to a tournament the Hespeler Shamrocks Hockey Team attended in London. Twenty cases are linked to another hockey tournament in the Ajax/Markham area that was attended by the Cambridge Roadrunners.

Public Health has stated that they are waiting for the results of whole genomic sequencing, but that the likelihood that these are Omicron clusters is very high, as four of the COVID-19 cases on the Shamrocks Team and one on the Cambridge Roadrunners Team have screened positive for a marker that increases the likelihood that it’s the Omicron variant.

“It is highly likely that the new Omicron variant is already here in Waterloo Region, and we expect that it will spread quickly,” said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Waterloo. “We know that the best defense against COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant is to get vaccinated and follow public health precautions. At this time of heightened risk, we are also advising residents to reduce non-essential social contacts.”

Public Health is following up with hockey players and all high-risk contacts to advise them to stay at home and quarantine until the test results are available.

Residents who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to book an appointment to get their first or second dose as soon as possible, and when they are eligible, to get a third dose six months (168 days) after their second dose.