U. Of Arizona Suspends Athletics After Coronavirus Outbreak
TUCSON, AZ — The University of Arizona has suspended all athletics until Tuesday after 13 student athletes and medical staff tested positive for the coronavirus, the school announced.
The bulk of the outbreak stemmed from the women's soccer team, which will now be quarantined for 14 days; seven people from the team tested positive. The university said Thursday in a news release that an additional six tests were inconclusive and further testing will be necessary to determine the true spread of the virus.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we are going to suspend all activities until we can effectively determine whether there is further spread of the virus," said Director of Medical Services for Arizona Athletics Dr. Stephen Paul in a statement. "The safety of our students and student-athletes is the first priority of the University of Arizona."
Suspending all sports until Tuesday will give the university the chance to enact contact tracing and additional testing. The positive and potential positive tests came from eight different teams on campus.
The athletic program is reporting test results separately from the rest of the university.
Student athletes and staff members have been taking part in safety screenings as part of the university's re-entry process. U of A got back to school for the fall semester in mid-August and has been ramping up its efforts of late to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including increased testing, and emphasizing mask-wearing and social distancing on and off-campus.
President Robert C. Robbins also announced Thursday that the university will be increasing its testing to 5,000 per week. U of A reported 126 new cases, but its percent positivity has climbed to 8.3 percent. The rate was previously only 2.6 percent.
"The vast majority of our students are complying. I see them, I talk to them, they're trying to do the right thing," Robbins said. "But a small number who do not follow the guidelines and adhere to directives can spoil this for everyone."
This article originally appeared on the Tucson Patch
