COVID-19 is ravaging the sports world, and the latest news is that the Montreal Canadiens will host Thursday night’s game against the Flyers without fans.

“Faced with the spiraling rise of COVID-19 cases in the region, late this afternoon the Montreal Canadiens organization received a request from Quebec public health officials to host tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers in a closed setting with no fans in attendance at the Bell Centre,” the team said in a statement. “We have accepted this request in order to help ensure the safety and security of our fans and fellow citizens throughout our community. An update on the status of Saturday’s scheduled game against the Boston Bruins will be provided tomorrow.”

The team says that there have been “assurances” that they will have partial capacity for games beginning in January.

“We have obtained assurances that beginning with our games in January, we will return to a partial capacity scenario and be able to host fans once more,” the statement continued. “More details will follow in the days to come and as the portrait of this ever-evolving pandemic becomes clearer. In the interim we would continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated, get their booster shots when possible, and be responsible with their social and family gatherings throughout the holidays. We hope that with rigor and a collective effort from all of us, we will be able to come together in a near future in 2022.”

Like much of the continent, the NHL, NBA, NFL and college basketball are all profoundly affected by positive COVID-19 tests right now. In just a few examples, the Chicago Bulls have had to cancel multiple games due to an outbreak on their team. Former NBA MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden both tested positive this week, and the Knicks have four players in protocol.

An Iona vs. Seton Hall game scheduled for Saturday at Madison Square Garden is expected to be canceled due to positive tests on Seton Hall. So too was a Saturday game between ranked teams Ohio State and Kentucky due to Buckeyes testing positive.

As of Tuesday, 74 NFL players had been placed in COVID-19 protocol over a two-day stretch, and the number has only ballooned as the week has gone on. The Cleveland Browns are expected to start Nick Mullens at quarterback in Saturday’s game against the Raiders, as Baker Mayfield and his backup Case Keenum are both in COVID-19 protocol. They are two of over a dozen players on the team in protocol. The Bears have placed their offensive, defensive and special teams coordinator — and six players — in COVID-19 protocol. The Giants also had six players added to protocol on Wednesday.