More than 99% of Trine student-athletes test negative for COVID-19

Please Note: Added Dr. Brooks' title, fourth paragraph.

ANGOLA, Ind. (08/12/2020) — Following guidance from the NCAA, along with state and local health authorities, 1,142 Trine University student-athletes were tested for COVID-19 during the move-in process last weekend.

According to results, which were received today, more than 99 percent of the Trine student-athletes tested were negative for COVID-19. This positivity rate of 0.8 percent is well below the current Indiana positivity rate of 8.8 percent.

The nine student-athletes who tested positive were asymptomatic when tested and are currently in quarantine either at their family homes or in isolated housing. The positivity rate was expected to be significantly lower than the state rate because the students were asymptomatic when they arrived on campus.

"When we decided to open this fall, we knew we had to prepare for the likely possibility that we would have positive cases of COVID-19 on campus," said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president. "In tandem with community health partners and government health officials, our planning team has worked throughout the summer to develop protocols that will help protect the health and safety of the Trine University campus community and the broader Steuben County area."

Per university policy, students who received a positive diagnosis were required to quarantine to prevent spread of COVID-19 on campus and in the community. Quarantine procedures and housing have been developed following federal, state and county guidelines, working in partnership with community health organizations such as Cameron Memorial Community Hospital and Parkview Hospital, to make students as comfortable and connected as possible while keeping the campus and community safe.

Students who are in quarantine will be able to participate in classes online as they are able. Also, students who choose to remain in Angola will receive meal delivery while in quarantined housing.

Students are required to remain quarantined until they test negative for COVID-19, are asymptomatic and have been cleared by the Health Center.

Trine University has created a webpage to share testing, positivity and recovery data for its student body at trine.edu/testing. Data will be updated on this page as it is received by the university.