At least five Alabama football players have tested positive for the coronavirus: report

At least five University of Alabama football players have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus one week before voluntary training commences.

The University of Alabama, along with other college football teams of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), is allowed to commence voluntary offseason training on June 8, according to CBS Sports.

The five players were reportedly gathered on the band field Wednesday in a group of around 50 players, making anyone who came in contact with the infected individuals vulnerable to contracting the virus.

The team has not released the infected players’ names. The group gathered on the field was there voluntarily and not as part of any organized team practices. 

CBS reported that student-athletes are required to be screened prior to arriving on campus within 72 hours of entering facilities and must be screened daily once athletic activities resume.

This week, other college football teams reported cases of COVID-19, including one Oklahoma State football player who tested positive following his attendance for a protest. 

Protests erupted throughout the country last week to demonstrate against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody. The congregation of thousands of people across the country could cause COVID-19 cases to spike. 

Over 21,000 new virus cases were reported in the U.S. Monday, but health experts say data will not show the impact protests have on case numbers for at least two weeks.

Iowa State also announced one positive case of the virus within its athletic department this week, according to the report.