UW Reports 25 Active COVID Cases, Most Likely Football Players

The team's recent virus outbreak has led to cancellations of games at Oregon and in the Pac-12 championship game against USC in Los Angeles.

The University of Washington late Wednesday reported 25 active coronavirus cases among its athletes discovered over the past week — a number more than double any previous disclosure by the school. 

Likely most, if not all, are Husky football players. The school does not identify the affected athletes by name or sport.

All are receiving COVID-19 care from the medical and training staff personnel and going through quarantine protocols, a UW spokesperson said. 

This was not unexpected after the Husky football team last week pulled out of its last regular-season game at Oregon and on Monday cancelled out of the Pac-12 championship match-up against USC on Friday in Los Angeles because of an accelerating virus outbreak among the players.

UW coach Jimmy Lake confirmed earlier this week that every one of his 20 offensive linemen, scholarship and walk-on players, were unavailable either because of positive tests or contact tracing.

"It's devastating news to our team, our fans and anyone who supports Husky football," the coach said on Monday. "We were looking forward to bringing home that Pac-12 trophy this Friday."

A week ago Wednesday, the UW athletic department reported a then-program high of 11 positive cases among its athletes.

Lake said the well-being of his players and coaches was foremost in shutting down the program a week ago before the Oregon game.

He's still hoping to get his football team healthy enough to play in a bowl game during the final week of December, possibly in the Alamo or Armed Forces bowls, both held in Texas.

Since football players and other athletes returned to campus on June 15, the UW has administered 6,360 PCR tests and has reported 79 total positive cases.

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