COVID-19: Cal Reports 5 More Positive Results, Total Now at 8 Among 250 Tests

Numbers among Cal athletes are 'in line with expectations,' school says

Cal has had five more positive tests for COVID-19 among student-athletes since making its first release of results public on June 30.

The athletic department said Thursday that it has conducted approximately 250 tests for 125 athletes who are back on campus for voluntary workouts, with a total of eight positive results.

The Bears announced two-and-a-half weeks ago that there were three positives among 96 athletes tested.

“Some individuals received more than one test, such as at the beginning and end of their initial self-quarantine period per campus guidelines, as a result of contact tracing, or as part of ongoing surveillance testing,” Cal Athletics said in a statement. “We have confidence in the protocols we have in place and the results are in line with expectations.”

Cal is not releasing sport-specific results in an effort to maintain privacy.

Also, the athletic department did not indicate whether any Cal student-athletes have required hospitalization.

The athletic department previously explained that contact tracing is being conducted through UHS Infection Control, Berkeley Public Health and Alameda County Public Health, and the department is following their recommendations for self-isolation, self-quarantine, symptom monitoring and treatment.

Cal’s numbers appear relatively modest compared to reports from other schools.

***Click here for Sports Illustrated report on Power 5 conferences' agreement on testing protocols

The University of Evansville announced Wednesday that 13 student-athletes tested positive after attending “an off-campus, non-university sponsored social event.”

East Carolina University this week paused all athletic activities after reporting that 27 student-athletes had tested positive.

Others have done better. Wisconsin reported last week that just seven of 428 tests of student-athletes netted positive results.

Here is Cal’s complete statement from Thursday:

Statement from Cal Athletics:

We are providing the total number of tests for student-athletes but are not delineating by sport out of privacy concerns. To date, we have conducted approximately 250 tests for 125 student-athletes who have returned for voluntary workouts with eight positive results. Some individuals received more than one test, such as at the beginning and end of their initial self-quarantine period per campus guidelines, as a result of contact tracing, or as part of ongoing surveillance testing. We have confidence in the protocols we have in place and the results are in line with expectations.

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Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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