In the week since an influx of 11 positive coronavirus tests in two days forced Notre Dame to pause all football-related activities, the Irish have added another 18 positive tests. Notre Dame has a total of 25 players in isolation via active positive cases and 14 in quarantine thanks to contact tracing, the program announced Monday.
Six days ago — Tuesday, Sept. 22 — those numbers were 10 and 13, respectively.
September 28 - Testing Update pic.twitter.com/fubn0Dc0qD
— Notre Dame Football PR Team (@NDFootballPR) September 28, 2020
Despite the rise in total numbers, the Irish have been able to get a handle on the extent of this outbreak through the testing and contact tracing in the last week, allowing them to now return to football activities. The team spent a full week away from the football facility before Monday’s return.
That week obviously included the postponement of Notre Dame’s trip to Wake Forest, rescheduled for Dec. 12, and led into what was a planned idle week. The Irish are currently scheduled to next play Oct. 10 against Florida State (7:30 ET; NBC).
Depending on the severity of any symptoms, the initial set of players in isolation because of positive tests could be back at practice by the end of this week, needing to spend a minimum of 10 days in isolation following the positive result. The next set of isolated players, pending the timing of their positive tests last week, could be back at the start of next week.
Those in quarantine have to remain away from the team for 14 days. Again, those returns will be contingent on the timing of the pertinent contact tracing, but those returns could begin next Tuesday and Wednesday, theoretically giving some time for a couple practices before facing the Seminoles.
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