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University of Kentucky Halts Swim Practices Amid COVID Outbreak

Citing a high number of positive COVID-19 tests, the University of Kentucky has shut down training for its swimming & diving program, a source tells SwimSwam.

Team members were told last week that the aquatics facility would be shut down through today, with team practices “postponed until further notice.” That’s based on a “high number of positive cases,” team members were told. A source tells SwimSwam that multiple swimming & diving team members have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The school has declined to either confirm or deny the halting of training. An athletics department representative only provided the following statement:

“UK Athletics has been periodically announcing overall COVID-19 testing results for student-athletes and staff but is not announcing pause of activities by teams or individuals.”

The school did publish an update today on COVID-19 testing. Kentucky says 402 student-athletes were tested over a roughly-two-week period from August 20 to September 14. Fourteen of those student-athletes tested positive – that’s about 3.5% of the athletes tested.

(Kentucky says 306 staff members were also tested, with seven positives for a rate of 2.3%).

It’s notable that those numbers, though published this afternoon, don’t include the past two weeks.

Kentucky competes in the SEC, which just announced revised competition dates for swimming & diving. SEC programs can begin competition on October 1, though the season is mostly restricted to just dual meets, and competition must remain regionalized.

Coronavirus cases have remained high in the state of Kentucky this summer. Single-day positive tests peaked at 715 in mid-July, but have continued to have spikes into the 400-600 range throughout August. One week ago, the state saw 458 new positive cases on Monday, September 7.

Kentucky has had 1,065 deaths and 57,282 total cases of COVID-19. Fayette County (where the University of Kentucky sits in Lexington) has had the second-most cases of any Kentucky county at 4,991.

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Guerra
4 years ago

This is good for the UK swim team. The more swimmers that got COVID the better for herd immunity to lessen disruptions down the road.

Edd
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

I don’t know why the admins from swimswam keep letting you comment your nonsense. Either they have the same views as you and are in dire need of any form of education or they enjoy watching you sit here and troll. Get help, read a book, do anything.

GodBlessTexas
Reply to  Edd
4 years ago

I think it is pretty clear they don’t agree with him. Have you read the moderators comments? I would not read their comments or articles and think this is a conservative website. Maybe they just don’t believe in censoring. I know it is a novel ideal… letting people disagree and discuss.

Edd
Reply to  GodBlessTexas
4 years ago

While I agree with you and think it’s important for people to discuss things there are certain things that you don’t need to talk about and should be left to those who know a lot more than us. Spreading crazy views that could end up getting people sick and could possibly end with people dying isn’t something that needs to be discussed.

Sad
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Dangerous, uneducated and hurtful comments from you all over this site.

Swimmerinlane4
4 years ago

Can I just say that these women and men are working their butts off to have a season and understand the full risks of COVID-19. You think a freshman, sophomore, or junior wants to ruin a seniors year? No. These SA have the highest GPAs on campus and represent the best school ever. Placing the team on pause for a short time period is better in the long run to prevent the spread. A spread that is bound to happen on a college campus. Statistically, they are healthy and will be fine if they get the virus, but making sure it doesn’t spread to other vulnerable populations or teams is what is important here. Stop slandering athletes who just want… Read more »

swimmom
4 years ago

The most frustrating thing about hearing about student athletes partying it up and then contracting covid is that they are effectively ruining their own seasons. My daughter who is a senior has yet to be able to even practice. I feel for these seniors who are not going to get much of a season. It’s not that complicated! Sacrifice by staying home and out of the bars and parties so that you can train and compete!!

Swimmy
Reply to  swimmom
4 years ago

Or they get it because they ate dinner together, parties aren’t the only social gatherings

SwimFan
Reply to  swimmom
4 years ago

Training, competing, traveling, eating together, living together, team meals, team meetings all contribute to the spread of Covid. Guess your daughter and other responsible college age athletes should isolate for the next few months as not to spread Covid which will “ruin their season”. Of course they should stay inside, wear their shield (face mask), hand wash and sanitize every hour and shudder with fear. GREAT PLAN!

Guerra
4 years ago

No big deal. There have been around 26,000 positive tests on college campuses and zero reported hospitalizations. To college kids, the China Virus is equivalent of getting the sniffles. Get back to practice, live your life and do what you do!

Admin
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

There have not been zero reported hospitalizations. The number is low and the rate is very low compared to the older end of the population, but is not zero, in spite of what president Trump said in his slideshow.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/1st-sdsu-student-among-covid-19-surge-hospitalized-as-cases-reach-440/2402332/
https://www.kshb.com/news/coronavirus/kansas-college-student-hospitalized-with-suspected-case-of-multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome

Rookie
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Now do alcohol poisoning.

ACC
Reply to  Rookie
4 years ago

Ah, a classic whataboutism.

“Thing A isn’t bad because thing B is also bad.”

Admin
Reply to  Rookie
4 years ago

I know you’re trying to change the subject to score points, but “fewer hospitalizations than alcohol poisoning“ is not the claim Guerra made. He used the word “zero.”

Irish Ringer
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Here’s some data from the CDC updated 9/5/2020 that suggests per 100,000 there are around 72.5 hospitalizations in the 18-29 year old demo. I couldn’t find anything that focused on the college campus or an 18-24 demographic.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html#hospitalizations

SwimFan
Reply to  Rookie
4 years ago

Lets examine SCIENTIFICALLY the death rate of fit collegiate student athletes infected with Covid-19 compared against the actuary backed incidence of alcohol related deaths and suicides of fit collegiate athletes. Wonder how not training, partying, shopping, hanging out and acting like a typical idiot college kid will affect death rate of those who march to the beat of Covid Zombie.

Walter
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Do you truly believe this? There are dead college kids. Simple internet search will give you that.

Less backstroke
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

You seem ill-informed on the concept of virus spreading amongst the community.

Guerra
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Fake news by Coronabros to spread fear porn. This doctor was proven wrong and heavily retreated from his original statements.

sscommentor
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

dude, you suck

SwimFan
Reply to  Guerra
4 years ago

Considering MANY athletes experience myocarditis and have for decades with extremely rare adverse effects – what is the big deal?

SwimFan
Reply to  SwimFan
4 years ago

Propoganda is.a fine thing when held to moderation. It is you who do not have a clue about what you are writing. Myocarditis is actually normal in training athletes, it also occurs from elevated sodium levels and muscle echemia. This is a weak clinical attempt to illicit a fear response from ignorant people.

Edd
4 years ago

“The school has declined to either confirm or deny the halting of training.” Usually means it’s true and schools wanted everyone to keep their mouth shut.

Waterboy
4 years ago

ConCATS

SwimFan
4 years ago

Understand UK isolated the virus to lanes 7 and 8. The administration decided, wisely, to drain those lanes which still give swimmers 6 lanes for training.

B1Guy!
Reply to  SwimFan
4 years ago

Dumbest thing I’ve read on this site

John
Reply to  B1Guy!
4 years ago

You must be new here

OG Prodigy
Reply to  B1Guy!
4 years ago

ahhhhh, I remember my first time in the comment section, welcome mate!

Corn Pop
Reply to  SwimFan
4 years ago

No they just poured some Moonshine in . Good to go said the locals . AD is testing it out as we x speak .

Swimmer A
4 years ago

Awkward

Bonnie
Reply to  Swimmer A
4 years ago

Not at all.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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