Seven student-athletes and six staff members test positive for COVID-19 in latest round of testing

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McLane Baseball Stadium/ Photo Credit: Eric Bach/WDBM

Nathan Stearns, News Director

EAST LANSING— During the week of March 26-April 1, Michigan State conducted 1,534 COVID-19 PCR tests on student-athletes and athletic department staff members. In total, 1,162 tests were administered to the student-athletes, with seven positive results, while 372 tests were reserved for designated personnel, with six positive results.

This week’s results cover PCR testing across all sports that are participating in the Big Ten’s testing program. Currently, student-athletes and staff members who participate in men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, field hockey and rowing are being tested six days a week. Other sports, including men’s and women’s track, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, baseball and softball are being tested in accordance with weekly schedules produced by the Big Ten.

Since the start of the MSU testing program in June of 2020, over 19,700 COVID-19 tests have been administered, including over 15,000 to student-athletes and over 4,600 to staff members. Altogether, 251 student-athletes and 37 staffers have tested positive for the coronavirus since June.

The 13 overall positive tests are a sharp increase from the six positive tests that were revealed last week between the student-athletes and staff members. Furthermore, the six positive tests in the staffing community are the most in one week since the testing program began.

The surge in cases comes as Michigan finds itself in the midst of yet another COVID-19 wave. Michigan currently leads the nation in new cases; 6,000 new cases were announced by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Friday alone.