U-M coronavirus update: 514 in athletics tested so far, four positives to date

The Michigan Wolverines athletics department has put out an update on coronavirus testing data this week with two positive tests among 192 students and staff tested for the virus this past week on July 6 and 7. The program has conducted 514 tests so far with four positive tests from student-athletes and none among staff members.

Here are the numbers provided by U-M Athletics. These figures span all student-athletes currently on campus, along with staff members and coaches that have been tested.

Student-athlete tests for COVID-19 to date: 375

Positive Tests: 4

Staff member tests: 139

Positive tests: 0

Total individual (student-athletes + coaches/staff) tests: 514

Positive tests: 4

Latest testing date: July 6 & 7

Total individuals (student-athletes + coaches/staff) tested on July 6-7: 192

Positive tests from July 6-7: 2

President Mark Schlissel addressed the testing in a town hall earlier this week in terms of students returning to campus for fall classes:

Schlissel said the university will test students for the virus as they return to campus and then conduct surveillance testing throughout the semester. Students will be given a safety kit that includes U-M branded masks.

Schlissel said the university will test those faculty and staff members who exhibit symptoms of the virus, but there are no plans currently to test the entire faculty and staff.

Schlissel also said the university is building a dashboard that will keep the community up-to-date on testing and positivity rates across campus while respecting people’s privacy.

He said that since March 10, there have been 49 positive COVID-19 tests among Ann Arbor campus students, with no known student hospitalizations or deaths related to the illness. He also noted that of 514 student-athlete tests, there were four positive cases. And, there have been no positive cases connected to the university reopening its labs in recent weeks.

However, Schlissel said he does have concerns, including about the health of high-risk faculty and staff. He said he’s also worried about students engaging in risky behaviors off-campus that could foster the spread of the virus.

Student-athletes have been returning to campus in waves over the last number of weeks, so it stands to reason we will be getting frequent updates here as time goes on.