Virginia Athletics reported Tuesday afternoon that eight of their 1,110 COVID-19 tests administered between Feb. 1 and Feb. 7 yielded positive results. This marks a 0.7 percent positivity rate for the seven-day period, just below the 0.8 percent rate since testing began on July 5. The total number of tests administered within the program has now reached 19,440, with 146 total positive results.
“All positive tests were reported to the Blue Ridge Health District of the Virginia Department of Health,” the Virginia Athletics press release said. “Those individuals will self-isolate for at least 10 days, or until symptoms are resolving plus 24-hours fever free.”
In adherence to the ACC’s COVID-19 protocols, participants in “high risk” sports such as men’s basketball and wrestling are tested three times a week. Athletes playing “lower risk” sports including track and field, swimming, diving, golf and tennis receive weekly testing.
Most of Virginia’s winter and newly started spring sports are following their schedules without issue after problems earlier in the winter forced the men’s basketball team to pause activities, and the women’s basketball team decided to forgo completing their season due to virus concerns. Most recently men’s basketball had to reschedule Saturday’s matchup with Louisville due to issues within the Cardinals’ program and played against Pittsburgh instead. Additionally, women’s lacrosse is now set to open their season against East Carolina on Feb. 15 after their original opener against Navy was postponed due to differences between the teams’ COVID-19 testing protocols.
This spring will be among the busiest in Virginia Athletics’ history as fall sports including field hockey and men’s and women’s soccer will return to compete in their respective NCAA tournaments in the coming months, overlapping with both the longer-lasting winter sports as well as the typical spring sports. Spring sport athletes who had their seasons cut short last year due to the pandemic were given an extra year of eligibility, and many athletes chose to return, creating even more of an unprecedented 2021 season.
The press release comes on the same day residents of Gibbons Hall have been required to quarantine after 17 positive cases in the residence hall were identified over the past week.
The University’s COVID-19 tracker indicates a massive spike in cases throughout the University community Monday. 58 total new cases were reported, just one short of the highest case number the University has recorded since students returned to Grounds in the fall. This brings the positivity rate up from 0.44 percent on Sunday to 0.77 percent.
Furthermore, the tracker indicates that 12 percent of its quarantine beds are occupied, while 5 percent of isolation housing is filled at the moment. The tracker is updated Monday through Friday at 4 p.m.
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