More bad COVID news for Canucks owners as Aquilini restaurant ordered closed

The Aquilinis,owners of the the COVID-stricken Vancouver Canucks, received more bad news on Monday when Vancouver Coastal Health issued a closure order for a family-owned restaurant due to "communicable disease."

Elisa steak house in Yaletown was one of three Vancouver restaurants closedby VCH on April 4, according to the updated list published on the health authority website. The other two are Joeys Burrardand Cactus Club Cafe on Beach Avenue.

A letter from VCH posted on the door of Elisa reads in part:

"Individuals who were at this premises who tested positive for COVID-19 were in this establishment during their infectious period and may have infected other staff and patrons with COVID-19;

"Based on the number of cases currently under investigation, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority suspects that transmission may be occurring at this establishment."

On Tuesday, Jake Virtanenbecame the 18th Vancouver player added to the NHL COVID-19 protocol list. Members of the Canucks coaching staff are also under COVID-19 protocols.

CBCasked Vancouver Coastal Health if there was a connection between the Canucks COVIDsituation cases and the Elisa closure.

In a statement, VCH saidit does not comment on specific cases in community settings to protect patient confidentiality.

"We only make public notifications when public health is not able to reach all close contacts and determines it is necessary to inform the public about a potential exposure," reads the statement.

CBC also reached out to the Vancouver Canucks but had not heard back at the time of publication.

Elisa is located at 1109 Hamilton St. in Yaletown, about eight blocks from the Canucks home arena.

It was named after deceased family matriarch Elisa Aquiliniand is operated by Toptable Restaurant Group, a subsidiary of AquiliniInvestment Group.

All but four of the 22 players on the Canucks' active roster are currently on the COVID-19 protocol list. The NHL initially postponed four Canucks games because of the virus, and twoadditional games are now listed as postponed on the Canucks' website, for total of six.

It's unclear when Vancouver will return to the ice.

Forward Adam Gaudette was the first on the team to be put under the NHL COVID-19 protocols. He was pulled off the ice mid-practice one week ago.

The Canucks players listed as unavailable by the NHL are:

• Travis Boyd
• Jalen Chatfield
• Thatcher Demko
• Alex Edler
• Adam Gaudette
• Travis Hamonic
• Jayce Hawryluk
• Nils Hglander
• Braden Holtby
• Bo Horvat
• Quinn Hughes
• Zack MacEwen
• Marc Michaelis
• Tyler Motte
• Tyler Myers
• Antoine Roussel
• Brandon Sutter
• Jake Virtanen