At least two people associated with the Fort Lewis College football team have tested positive for COVID-19, and all football activities have been canceled until further notice.
A news release issued Thursday by Lauren Savage, FLC spokeswoman, said anyone associated with the football team will be tested this week.
Savage said neither the exact number of people nor their affiliation with the team will be made public to protect their privacy.
Two or more people associated with the team testing positive for COVID-19 meets the criteria of an outbreak, according to the release. Those who tested positive are isolating.
Meanwhile, anyone associated with the football program will be tested for COVID-19 this week. And close contacts of those who tested positive have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.
A combination of laboratory testing and epidemiological investigation led San Juan Basin Public Health and FLC to identify the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the news release.
Fort Lewis College has not played a football game this fall. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference President’s Council voted in August to cancel the fall season, though four conference teams – Black Hills State University, Colorado Mesa University, Chadron State and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology – have played games this fall against each other.
Only FLC cross-country and golf have been allowed to compete this fall. Men’s and women’s basketball seasons are slated to begin with home games Nov. 21 against South Dakota Mines.
The outbreak investigation is ongoing, and additional cases or contacts might be identified, Savage said in the news release.
SJBPH is providing infection control guidance to FLC staff members who are providing support with the outbreak investigation, she said.
“FLC is taking all necessary steps to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in our community,” President Tom Stritikus said in the news release. “Our students and employees, while vigilant and committed to protecting the health of others, will need to double-down on their virus mitigation strategies to ensure we don’t see more positive cases on campus.”
FLC will continue with in-person instruction while monitoring current cases and their contacts.
Savage said FLC has the necessary resources and capacity to manage the current COVID-19 situation on campus, but the school “will not hesitate to move all course instruction online” should further outbreaks overburden mitigation resources or impact the ability to provide effective contact tracing.
Case investigation will take time to complete, and to protect the privacy of individuals, identifying information and medical information about the individuals who test positive will not be released to the public, she said.
Liane Jollon, executive director of SJBPH, said, “This outbreak is evidence of ongoing widespread community transmission and a reminder that everyone needs to take urgent action to reduce the spread of this novel virus.”
She added it is critical people reduce their social contacts, wear masks, monitor their symptoms and get tested if they exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19.
COVID-19 diagnostic testing is available in both Archuleta and La Plata counties. For locations, dates and times of tests, visit SJBPH’s website.
Testing is free for FLC employees and students at the drive-thru testing site from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday in the FLC football stadium parking lot.
FLC employees and students can visit the school’s website to register for a test.
FLC head football coach Darrius G. Smith could not be reached for comment at press time.
Sports editor John Livingston contributed to this report.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
An earlier version gave incorrect information about who was isolating for COVID-19.
