Vikings trainer/infection control officer has virus

The Minnesota Vikings announced Monday that head trainer Eric Sugarman and members of his family have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sugarman also is the Vikings’ infection control officer.

He said in a statement that he and his family immediately quarantined and “are all doing fine and experiencing only mild symptoms.”

The Vikings said they are sanitizing their facility and contacted anyone who was in close contact with Sugarman. The team said those team personnel have been tested “and are returning under the established guidelines.”

“Eric has not had recent contact with players, and no additional cases within the Vikings’ front office have been identified at this time,” the team said.

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Sugarman will continue to serve as the Vikings’ infection control officer virtually, the team said.

“I am humble to be serving in that capacity as it has been some of the most rewarding work of my career. But as I sit here in quarantine, it is clear this virus does not discriminate. It should continue to be taken seriously. I encourage people to take the necessary precautions and follow guidelines that have been established nationally and locally,” he said in his statement.

The Vikings are moving forward with their mandatory reporting date for veterans on Tuesday in spite of Sugarman’s positive test. All veterans are expected to show up on July 28 to receive their first of multiple COVID-19 tests before they will be allowed to enter TCO Performance Center for the first time for training camp.

Information from ESPN’s Courtney Cronin was used in this report.