Five Canucks quarantined after Stecher contracts mumps

[February 25, 2017]  (Reuters) - Five members of the Vancouver Canucks squad have shown symptoms of the highly contagious virus mumps and are not expected to play on Saturday, the National Hockey League team said on Friday.

Defenseman Troy Stecher has a confirmed diagnosis with centers Markus Granlund and Michael Chaput as well as defensemen Christopher Tanev and Nikita Tryamkin also potentially affected, the Canucks said on their website.

"We're taking this very seriously given how easily mumps can spread," General Manager Jim Benning said.

Players with symptoms are immediately tested and quarantined for five days or until test results prove negative.

Health officials were at the team's arena on Friday to screen players and staff and immunize those whose need it.

"We’re sitting here with our fingers crossed," Benning said. "We don’t know if there will be more."

The Canucks, in sixth place in the Pacific Division, play the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

The NHL last experienced a major mumps outbreak in 2014 with 14 players, including the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby, affected.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina, editing by Nick Mulvenney)

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Vancouver Canucks defenseman Troy Stecher (51) checks New Jersey Devils forward Michael Cammalleri (13) during the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports