One more Edmonton player tests positive for COVID-19, bringing total to 12

A total of 12 Edmonton Elks players have now tested positive for COVID-19.

The team’s Tier One staff, including all players and coaches, are isolating at home while testing continues to be conducted daily.

Edmonton will not be identifying the players who tests positive for the virus unless they remain in COVID protocols when the team resumes on-field activities.

The Elks had five members of the team test positive for the virus on Sunday, which resulted in the postponement of Thursday’s game against the Toronto Argonauts. Four more players tested positive on Monday, when it was revealed that the Elks are the third-lowest vaccinated team in the league.

No other CFL teams have had players test positive for the virus since the start of the 2021 season.

The team provided the following timeline of how these positive cases were discovered.

• Friday, August 20
  • Elks return to Edmonton from Vancouver via charter flight (3:00 a.m. MT arrival)
• Saturday, August 21
  • TESTING: All Elks tier 1 players, coaches, and staff are administered a PCR test at the team facility. As per CFL protocols, testing occurs within 48 hours of the team’s most recent game.
    • As a result of Saturday’s tests, five (5) players returned positive results.
• Sunday, August 22
  • Upon the return of Saturday’s test results early Sunday morning, the Elks cancel Sunday’s practice. The team facility is immediately closed to all activities (excluding testing) and all tier 1 players, coaches, and staff enter isolation at home. Enhanced testing plan is initiated.
  • Edmonton’s game against the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday, August 26 is postponed by the CFL.
  • TESTING: All Elks tier 1 players, coaches, and staff are administered a rapid antigen test, and PCR test at the team facility. All tier 1 members are assigned a designated arrival time to avoid any crossover during testing.
    • As a result of Sunday’s tests, four (4) additional players returned positive PCR test results (team total rises to nine (9)).
• Monday, August 23
  • TESTING: PCR testing for all tier 1 members. Fully vaccinated members are tested during assigned times at the team facility, while partially and unvaccinated members are tested at their residence.
    • As a result of Monday’s tests, two (2) additional players returned positive results (team total rises to 11).
• Tuesday, August 24
  • TESTING: Continued PCR testing for all tier 1 members.
    • As a result of Tuesday’s tests, one (1) additional player returned a positive results (team total rises to 12).
• Wednesday, August 25
  • TESTING: Continued PCR testing for all tier 1 members.
    • Wednesday’s test results are expected to be returned early on Thursday, August 26. Both Wednesday and Thursday’s test results will be reported, barring any significant developments, in our next update on Friday, August 27.