Penguins release statement on coronavirus
As the world and the United States continue to grapple with the threat of coronavirus, the Pittsburgh Penguins publicly addressed the potential pandemic that has spread to Pennsylvania.
The team released a statement Friday afternoon, hours after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine held a news conference to announce that two people with presumed positive cases of the covid-19 are under quarantine in the eastern part of the commonwealth.
“The team is following the recommendations of the CDC, UPMC and the NHL,” the Penguins statement read. “Our medical staff has been in communication for several weeks with UPMC Infectious Disease about safety and prevention. The safety and health of our players, employees and fans are our first priority.”
Even if COVID-19 has not yet spread throughout the U.S., concern about what is better known as coronavirus has. And it is beginning to have an effect on the sports world. https://t.co/CnhHtr8vkj
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) March 4, 2020
Some European soccer leagues have played games in empty stadiums as a method of limiting the spread of the virus. No major sports leagues or teams in the United States have done so, however, though many have announced precautions.
The Penguins play 15 games over a 29-day stretch beginning Saturday at home against the Washington Capitals. They have eight regular-season games left at PPG Paints Arena.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.