UF still trying to trace source of COVID spike that includes two coaches
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Florida coach Dan Mullen expects a decision to be made Wednesday on the LSU game, which is in jeopardy after the No. 10 Gators suspended team activities following a COVID-19 spike.
UF reportedly has 19 positive cases and another 10 players in quarantine due to possible exposure. A couple of staff members have also tested positive, Mullen revealed Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference.
“I have not (tested positive), to this point,” he said. “But we had two assistant coaches that have. Those were yesterday’s tests. The entire team again tested today. Both coaches that did test positive were asymptomatic, so we’re going to wait to get today’s test results to see where we’re at.
“We’re pausing all of our activities until then. We came in and tested early this morning. We’re certainly hoping and everybody has worked to get those tests back before we conduct any team activity to make sure that we’re keeping everyone safe as possible.”
Mullen says the team is “taking an abundance of caution” and now testing daily instead of the SEC-mandated three times per week, with Wednesday being the fourth consecutive day. He added that coaches and players are also getting tested for the flu after “a couple guys showed a combination of not just COVID symptoms but some cold symptoms” on Sunday.
Florida’s medical staff still hasn’t determined the source of the COVID-19 spike through contact tracing, Mullen said.
“Our medical people saw a slight spike with positive tests on Sunday’s tests,” he said. “The test number increased from Sunday to Monday to Tuesday. The first one, there was some very randomness in it. As we got some more numbers, we’re getting a better idea of trying to trace the origin of it. We’ve not been able to do that.
“I would still not be surprised if one to two of them were random and the randoms can throw you off within the tracing. Say, ‘If this guy got it, it couldn’t have been that.’ Or, ‘How did this person get in the group of getting it?’ Again, I don’t want to speculate as to where and how it could have happened. I want to get some more numbers back.”
Mullen has a practice schedule in place if the Gators are able to resume team activities, and said the hardest part will be getting the entire game plan put in. Having a regular Monday practice helps, he added.
Florida (2-1) is scheduled to host the Tigers (1-2) at 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.
“I would think that would come today,” Mullen said Wednesday when asked about a deadline for deciding on the game. “I think by today, just for everybody involved, that we would have some more answers.”