How a Florida hockey game became a COVID-19 'superspreader' event - Yahoo News

WASHINGTON — More than a dozen people were infected with the coronavirus after a recreational hockey game in Tampa, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published on Thursday.

He is believed to be the index patient — that is, the one who infected others.

At the time of the hockey game, Florida was undergoing one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks.

In subsequent days, eight teammates of the index patient “experienced COVID-19 signs and symptoms.” So did five players from the opposing team, as well as one rink employee.

It is believed they all contracted the disease from the index patient, who was “presymptomatic” at the time of the game.

An average COVID-19 patient infects 2.5 other people, a value known as R0, or the “r-naught.” A person who infects 14 others would thereby qualify as an especially prolific spreader of the disease.

The CDC researchers said the hockey game created “potential for a superspreader event, especially with ongoing community COVID-19 transmission.” They do not call the game a superspreader event outright, despite its seeming to have met the requisite criteria.