Positive COVID-19 Cases In WWE Much Higher Than Originally Believed

It emerged on Tuesday that the Orange County Department of Health was investigating 17 businesses in the area which they believe to be COVID-19 hotspots. Most of the businesses on the list were bars, but Full Sail University, the Amway Center and the WWE Performance Center are also being investigated. 

After the news broke, WWE issued the following statement to WFTV9: "WWE is not open to the public, but rather operating on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance. As part of on-going weekly testing protocols, Aventus Labs have administered more than 10,000 PCR tests to WWE performers, employees, production staff and crew resulting in only 1.5 percent positive cases as compared to the current national average of more than 5%. Additionally, extensive contact tracing takes place and impacted individuals are placed in 14-day quarantine and then only cleared after they test negative."

Bryan Alvarez first pointed out on Wrestling Observer Live that if the numbers in the statement are correct, this would mean there have been at least 150 positive COVID-19 cases within the company since the beginning of the pandemic. Past reports on the three coronavirus outbreaks noted there had been approximately 38 positive cases in June, double-digit numbers in September and an unknown amount of positives in August, but no figure which came close to 150 positive tests. 

Alvarez said: "Do you know what that means if you do the math? Well, that means 150 performers, employees, production staff and crew have tested positive for the coronavirus. Now, granted, we knew that there had been a large outbreak. And there are no official numbers because WWE never released official numbers. but we'd heard around 38 for the big one. And then there was another one and we didn't hear any numbers for the other one. But, I mean, I heard double digits for that one. And granted, it was low double digits but that was the number that I heard… 

"But the fact of the matter is WWE in their own statement is essentially saying 150 positive tests. That is insane. And by the way, I know for sure that there have been individuals that tested positive and then people that they lived with or their families, they ended up getting coronavirus. That would not even be counted in WWE's testing. So, that is a crazy number of people that have contracted coronavirus directly as a result of WWE."