Houston Suspends Voluntary Workouts After Six Student Athletes Test Positive for COVID-19

The Cougars have suspended all voluntary workouts after six student athletes tested positive for COVID-19.

Houston announced it has suspended all voluntary workouts after six student athletes tested positive for the coronavirus.

The school said it chose to suspend the workouts–which started on June 1 with football and men's and women's basketball–"out of an abundance of caution." The impacted students have been placed in isolation and the school is conducting contact tracing procedures.

The Houston Chronicle's Joseph Duarte reports the university did not test athletes for COVID-19 athletes upon arrival. Houston said it will now adopt protocols to include repetitive coronavirus testing when workouts resume on campus.

Texas has seen an increase in positive coronavirus cases over the past week, and the greater Houston area recorded 437 new cases alone on Thursday. Harris County, which contains Houston, has reached a Level 2 in its four-level COVID-19 threat system. The Level 2 designation means the city is under significant threat and the spread of the virus is uncontrolled despite state and local health efforts. Residents have been advised to have minimal contact with others.