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Penn State COVID-19 tests of athletes results in three positive cases out of 1,211 tested

The athletic department's weekly report includes the Big Ten’s daily antigen testing protocols for the football program, which began Sept. 30.

An empty parking lot of a closed Beaver Stadium in State College on Sept. 5.
An empty parking lot of a closed Beaver Stadium in State College on Sept. 5.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Only three positive results were returned out of 1,211 COVID-19 tests of Penn State athletes for the period of Sept. 26 through Oct. 2, according to the weekly testing report released Wednesday by the university’s athletic department. Three test results were pending.

The department said the numbers includes the Big Ten’s daily antigen testing protocols for the football program, which began Sept. 30.

In last week’s report, 16 positive tests were found out of 987 tests administered, with nine results pending.

According to protocols established by the Penn State athletics medical staff, individuals with a positive test will be assigned to isolation for 10 days. Contact tracing procedures that have been implemented include a 14-day quarantine and testing for those who might have come in close contacts with positive individuals even if asymptomatic, the department said.

Wide receiver John Dunmore withdraws

Redshirt freshman wide receiver John Dunmore, who was expected to add depth to a receiving corps that lost KJ Hamler from last year’s team, has withdrawn from the university, the football program confirmed Wednesday.

» READ MORE: Penn State football enters new phase of preseason practice while remaining cautious

The web site Lions247.com said Dunmore had been working out “for weeks” near his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. It also said that as of Wednesday, his name was not in the NCAA transfer portal.

“We’ll just take it one day at a time,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said Wednesday night when asked about Dunmore’s status. “I’m not going to get into a whole lot of specifics and details. That’s not fair to John and his family and I can’t predict what the future holds.”

Dunmore was a consensus four-star recruit when he signed with the Nittany Lions out of Chaminade-Madonna College Prep. He played in one game last season, against Purdue, and twice was named development player of the week for his work on the scout team offense.

The Lions return three experienced receivers but only one, Jahan Dotson, caught more than 10 passes last season. They also have redshirt freshman T.J. Jones and a pair of freshmen, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Parker Washington.