Four of 121 Michigan athletes tested are positive for COVID-19

During Michigan’s latest round of COVID-19 testing of student-athletes and staff on campus earlier this week, 121 individuals were tested and four student-athletes were positive.

Michigan has been releasing testing data each week. In a release Friday, Michigan indicates there have been eight positive results among the 635 staff and athletes who have been tested since student-athletes from football and men’s and women’s basketball returned for voluntary workouts nearly a month ago.

Of that total, there have been 485 student-athlete tests with eight positives, and there have been zero positives among the 150 staff tests.

Michigan tested 121 athletes and staff most recently on Monday and Tuesday.

Last week the Big Ten announced its fall sports will participate in conference games only, but there has be no official release of anything definitive as the fall schedule remains in limbo.

Football players are expected to open camp on July 24 when coaches will be allowed to work with the players in drills and meetings as part of a 20-hour week preseason camp.

More: Pandemic puts an end to 45-year streak of 100,000-plus crowds at Michigan Stadium

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, in a recent news conference with reporters, said he was pleased with the response of his players to the program’s COVID-19 protocol. He described the players as pro-active in terms of safety measures, understanding the coronavirus can affect anyone at any age.

“The biggest question I’m really getting from our players is how they can be part of the solution,” Harbaugh said. “A lot of the feedback has been, their peers, other people in their age group are somewhat or very cavalier about the virus, how it affects that age group.

“Their response has been, they want to be part of the solution. They want to be a force for good, an example. When they’re here, there are protocols that have been put in place. They’ve been terrific, really great about following those. They really understand it’s of great value to keep their own personal health but also that of their teammates. They’ve taken it to the extra level, when they’re out in public to have a mask, to wear a mask, to socially distance, to cooking their own food, to shopping, to everything that they’re doing to be a great example and a force for good.”