Nine Ole Miss athletes in quarantine after close contact with COVID-19 case, university says
The University of Mississippi athletics department confirmed Sunday that nine athletes were quarantined because of close contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus.
The athletes are quarantined at their residence in Oxford for 14 days and self-monitoring for symptoms in accordance with proper medical guidelines, said Shannon Singletary, an assistant athletic director for Ole Miss.
Singletary also said the athletes will not be involved in any voluntary activities until that two-week period is over and have been advised to stay away from others per recommendations.
The first wave of approximately 70 Ole Miss student-athletes returned to campus on June 1. Every student-athlete and staffer who returned to campus received a COVID-19 test and an antibody test.
Since athletes have returned to campus, the athletic department has tested approximately 287 people, Singletary said Sunday.
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"All athletes have not returned to campus and we do not have all employees back on campus since we are using a phased approach to reopening athletics," Singletary said. "The remaining athletes will be tested as they return to campus for their physical exams to start voluntary activities."
Two members of the Ole Miss athletics department, one student-athlete and one staff member, tested positive for COVID-19 on campus, an athletics spokesperson confirmed to the Clarion Ledger on June 4.
The university will also isolate anyone who showcases any symptoms and conduct contact tracing to see who has interacted with people who have either tested positive or shown symptoms.
Contact Wilton Jackson @wcjackson@gannett.com. Follow @wiltonreports on Twitter.