#At least 30 LSU football players in quarantine after coronavirus spike

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LSU after winning the national championship.
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Another college football powerhouse has been hit hard by the coronavirus.

At least 30 of the 115 players in the LSU Tigers football program are now in quarantine this week because of virus-related concerns, according to a Sports Illustrated report on Saturday. The numbers are fluctuating based on test results. Not all of the players in isolation have the virus, some are in quarantine because they had contact with those who tested positive, according to SI.

None of the players or any LSU staff member has had to be hospitalized because of the virus and few have experienced effects beyond mild symptoms, according to the website.

Top LSU athletic department officials declined to comment, citing medical privacy laws, but they did refer SI to Shelly Mullenix, the school’s long-time senior associate athletic director.

Mullenix said LSU’s situation is on par with more positive cases around the country related to the Memorial Day holiday and the big, widespread protest gatherings. But she declined to confirm the number of players who have been quarantine.

“It’s not surprising we’re seeing the rise right now,” Mullenix told the website. “It’s a pandemic. We should not be shocked. The story is that it’s exactly what we said it would be. We were prepared from the get-go for a lot of virus. The good news is we’re seeing subtle virus illness.”

LSU’s rival, the Clemson Tigers, who they defeated in the national title game last season, also has been hit hard by the coronavirus.

On Friday, the school announced that 28 student-athletes or staff members had tested positive for COVID-19 since returning to school on June 8, but did not specify which sport. According to The Athletic, 23 of those positive tests were football players. The Clemson Insider also reported that two of the team’s coaches tested positive.