Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

October 27, 2020

COVID-19 Outbreak Among a University’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams — Chicago, Illinois, July–August 2020

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An outbreak investigation among members of a Chicago university’s men’s and women’s soccer team in August 2020 identified several social gatherings in which transmission could have occurred. The outbreak had a 38% attack proportion (17 out of 45) from the index patient in the men’s soccer team. 18 social gatherings with minimal mask use or social distancing were reported over the course of the outbreak, including a birthday party, coed soccer match, dorm and apartment visits, and an outdoor lake gathering, and all 17 positive students attended at least one gathering. 4 out of the 17 cases were asymptomatic and were identified after universal testing of teams was conducted. Genomic analysis suggests a single source of introduction, with sequences belonging in the same clade that had been circulating in Chicago since March.

Teran et al. (Oct 27, 2020). COVID-19 Outbreak Among a University’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams — Chicago, Illinois, July–August 2020. MMWR. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6943e5