By Eric Sprott

Courtesy The Journal

esprott@upstatetoday.com

CLEMSON — The news from the Clemson athletic department on Friday afternoon was less than encouraging regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school said 23 football players are among 28 people in the athletic department who have tested positive for the coronavirus since returning to campus at the beginning of the month. The week before, just two football players tested positive, meaning there was a 21-case jump last week.

Whether the Clemson Community Peaceful Demonstration led by the Tigers the previous weekend had an effect on the jump is uncertain.

Along with the players, two football staff members and three athletes from other sports were found with the virus. In announcing three positive cases the previous week, the school said a member of the Clemson men’s basketball team had tested positive for the virus.

The school — which said it had completed 315 tests for COVID-19 this month as of Friday — did not identify the players and staff members who have tested positive.

According to a news release, Clemson said “most” of the positive cases have been asymptomatic, and none have required hospitalization.

All those who have tested positive have been notified and are being isolated for at least 10 days. Close known contacts have also been asked to self-quarantine for at least 14 days, the release said.

Earlier this month, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said social distancing, the wearing of face masks and other precautions have been stressed to his team in the hopes of enjoying a largely traditional season this fall.

“Even though things are opening back up and we can go to restaurants and do different things, still, be smart,” Swinney said. “We have a great plan in place all across this campus that everyone feels good about, and it’s a very organized and phased-in process that we’re going to go through over the next month and a half here and hopefully continue to get back to a little more of a normal situation later in the summer and August.”