Dusseldorf team in quarantine in latest German ice hockey woes

The entire Dusseldorfer EG team and coaching staff have been sent into quarantine after several positive tests within their ranks, adding to the coronavirus woes in German first division ice hockey, reported dpa.

The Dusseldorf club said on Thursday that players and staff must quarantine for five days, a measure that forced the postponement of two matches scheduled for the weekend.

The news comes two days after 22 members of the Munich team, among them 16 players, were announced to have tested positive for the Sars-CoV-2 virus, also prompting postponements of games.

The ruling body DEL expressed concern and said they were in contact with their advisors and all 15 top flight clubs.

"It is a new situation that even fully vaccinated players, some of them even with negative tests, are sent into quarantine by health authorities," a DEL statement said.

Dusseldorf sports director Niki Mondt said the team quarantine "makes sense to avoid further infections." The club did not say how many players and people overall were infected.

Ice hockey and other indoor sports have suffered more than professional football from the pandemic. The 2019-20 season was abandoned before the play-off and the past campaign was shorter than usual.

This season was to take place in the usual format and fans have also been admitted again.