All of the University of Michigan’s athletics will be suspended for two weeks from Sunday, January 24, according to a statement from the state health department, according to messages received by The Daily and confirmed by a source close to the athletics department. The order, which stops all athletic activities, including exercise, is limited exclusively to UM athletics following a recent influx of positive cases within several Michigan teams.
A source told The Daily that there were five confirmed cases of the new COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant, with another 15 suspected positives throughout the athletics department. The new strain was first introduced at the beginning of the semester by a UM athlete from the UK. All members of the athletics division are expected to be quarantined for 14 days.
In the past week, 22 student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19 per release, 13 more than the previous week. No coaches or staff tested positive.
As of Sunday morning, 87.2% of Michigan’s athletics games have been played. On Saturday, the women’s basketball team reschedule his postponed game against Michigan State for this week. The Wolverines had their own outburst in early December after a game against Butler in which a Bulldog tested positive the day after the match, which leads to two missed games.
The men’s basketball team played Friday at Purdue, even as a boilermaker was tested positive the day of the game. The volleyball team held their opening game against Penn State this weekend postponed due to positive tests within the Penn State program.
Neither team will play for the next two weeks.
This is an evolving story and will be updated.
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