Finland’s Women’s Hockey Team Overcomes Norovirus at Olympics
Finland’s women’s hockey team is regaining strength after suffering a norovirus outbreak that severely impacted their roster. This health crisis led to the postponement of their opening match against Canada, originally scheduled for February 10.
Current Status of the Team
After a tough few days, the situation is improving. On Friday, a total of eleven skaters and all three goaltenders participated in practice. This is a significant increase from Thursday, when only eight skaters and two goalies took to the ice. Thirteen players were either infected or in quarantine during that time.
The team’s next challenge is a matchup against the United States, scheduled for tomorrow. However, uncertainty remains about whether this game will proceed as planned.
Impact of Norovirus
The norovirus outbreak began earlier in the week, prompting the cancellation of a practice session on Wednesday. This highly contagious virus has posed serious challenges for the team.
- Norovirus outbreak affected 13 players.
- Practice sessions were canceled, causing disruptions.
- Effective medical staff are in place to manage health concerns.
Denmark men’s player Oliver Lauridsen expressed his sympathy for the Finnish women’s team. He noted the importance of hygiene practices to mitigate further spread. “You’ve got to wash your hands. You’ve got to be careful,” he said. “Just the fact that they would postpone a game also means that there is help to get and solutions in place in case stuff like this happens.”
As Finland’s players work towards recovery, they remain focused on their upcoming games in the Olympics. The full impact of the outbreak will continue to unfold as the tournament progresses.
