AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — Twenty-five student-athletes at the University at Buffalo have tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced today.
The majority of cases - 19 - are on the football team. Five members of the women's volleyball team and one player on the women's soccer team have also tested positive. All are now in isolation and doing well, said UB Athletics Director Mark Alnutt.
The positive cases were a result of the testing of 322 student-athletes last week after one of them reported experiencing symptoms associated with the virus.
Alnutt says all team activities for the three sports affected have been suspended. The university hopes to resume activities next Monday following health evaluations. That's the same day UB Athletics will be putting into place new health protocols from the Mid-American Conference Medical Advisory Group for football teams.
That protocol includes testing all players, coaches and trainers four times a week. Teams with a positivity rate above five percent must suspend all activities for at least seven days.
Last week, the MAC announced it will play a six-game conference-only schedule that begins November 4 and concludes December 18 or 19 with the MAC Football Championship game.
UB said it will closely follow New York State and Erie County Department of Health guidelines and protocols as the season resumes.
