Central Methodist University has shown a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks. Reporting by the university on Thursday showed an increase of 17 students and one employee on campus who have tested positive. According to CMU’s own numbers, there are now 40 positive cases among the student body. 

Central Methodist publishes new on-campus case numbers on its website every Thursday.

“After a several-day period in which cases declined, we have had a recent increase and have had to postpone some athletic contests,” said a spokesman from CMU. “We remain confident in our safety protocols and will continue universal testing of students and quarantining those with close contact.”

While the university adamantly refuses to breakdown case numbers in demographics such as sports, it would appear that several athletes have tested positive. A press release from the CMU athletic department on Thursday stated that all volleyball games through Oct. 17 would be postponed. 

“This decision was made out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our student-athletes,” stated HAAC Commissioner Lori Thomas. “The conference and teams are adhering to the outlined guidelines in the Heart Promise.”

The following matches affected by the postponement are Tuesday, Oct. 6 vs. Park, Friday, Oct. 9 vs. Culver-Stockton, Monday, Oct. 12 vs. Baker, Tuesday, Oct. 13 at MidAmerica Nazarene, and Thursday, Oct. 15 at Benedictine. 

Makeup dates for these contests will be announced at a later date.

In addition, men’s and women’s soccer games from Sept. 23 through Oct. 10 were postponed. The next games for both teams, according to CMU, are scheduled against Mid-America Nazarene in Fayette on Oct. 14.

So far no CMU football games, other than the season opener Sept. 12 have been postponed. The Eagles fell 30-17 on Saturday at Peru State in Nebraska to move to 2-1 on the season. They return to Davis Field on Saturday to face Grand View in a makeup game from week one of the season.

The Howard County Public Health Department on Monday reported eight new cases while 10 were considered recovered and removed from the list. According to the department, there are currently 47 active cases in the county, with no current hospitalizations. A total of 273 people here have recovered since the start of the pandemic, with one death attributed to COVID-19.