38 students test positive for COVID-19 at Belmont Abbey College

BELMONT, N.C. — Officials with Belmont Abbey College confirmed Thursday that the school has 38 students tested positive COVID-19 on campus. They were asymptomatic.

“We are managing through testing, isolating, and quarantining as necessary,” the college said in an emailed statement. “We have facilities for quarantining available. All of our protocols are working according to plan, but we continue to encourage students to follow our guidelines of mask-wearing, physical distancing, and no large group gatherings.”

Earlier this month, Channel 9 reported on the major changes Belmont Abbey College had made ahead of students returning for the fall semester, including apps to track health, restrictions on dorm room visits and far fewer classmates in a room.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” freshman Nate Sturgis said.

Many students doubt they will make it to the fall break before COVID-19 forces them off campus, he said.

“Honestly, we are all just waiting to get sent home,” Sturgis said.

Seven of the people who tested positive live on campus and were isolated, a spokesperson said.

School officials suspect they may have attended gatherings.

“I think that it was going to be evitable,” junior Ben Blodgett said.

Blodgett plays lacrosse and said his coach told the team to wear masks everywhere.

He said one case could sideline a player, while officials said they may cancel the season if there are more cases.

“I want everyone to do their best to help stop the spread, so we can play out own season,” Blodgett said.

There are about 1,700 students that attend Belmont Abbey.

Belmont Abbey College introduces upgrades to keep people safe this fall

Cox Media Group