Several University of Alabama football players test positive for Covid-19, reports say
Several University of Alabama football players have tested positive for coronavirus, according to multiple reports including Sports Illustrated and AL.com.
This week, the NCAA allowed schools to welcome athletes back on campus for the first time since March.
Sports Illustrated, citing unnamed sources, reported at least five players tested positive for Covid-19. AL.com reported that at least one of those players took part in a player-led workout session involving multiple players. AL.com says that player was asymptomatic at the time.
When asked about the positive tests and the Sports Illustrated and AL.com reports, a school spokesperson referred CNN to a university statement released on Thursday, which states, “The health and safety of our student-athletes is a top priority. Resources and protocols are in place to ensure they receive the best medical care when returning to campus. Due to privacy laws we cannot share information specific to the health of our student-athletes.”
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) does not disclose information related to investigations of notifiable diseases. ADPH investigates each Covid-19 case in Alabama and carries out contact tracing.
Alabama currently has at least 19,072 coronavirus cases, and at least 653 people have died in the state from coronavirus, according to a tally of cases by John Hopkins University.
