A possible case of coronavirus detected on the campus of Miami (Ohio) University has forced the cancellation of Saturday’s meet between the Redhawks and Xavier.
Xavier’s athletic website announced the change Friday before the team traveled to face IUPUI at scheduled that evening.
The meet was due to be Miami’s senior night in recognition of nine senior women and three senior men swimmers and divers.
The cancellation was triggered by a health advisory on campus when two male students, who lived off-campus and had traveled recently to China, reported flu-like symptoms to the university’s health center on Monday. They are under evaluation and there is not yet a determination as to whether they’ve been infected by the virus, which has caused nearly 12,000 reported cases and more than 200 deaths in what the World Health Organization this week declared a public health emergency. Most of those cases have been in China, where FINA cancelled a Diving World Series event scheduled for early March and where numerous sporting events have been postponed or cancelled due to contagion fears.
The Dayton Daily News reported that results would be back within 24 to 48 hours from the Centers for Disease Control. As of Friday afternoon, the university reported that no other suspected cases had presented.
Xavier lost to IUPUI, 192.5-82.5, Friday in its last meet before the Big East championships. Miami will take part in the Louisville Invitational in two weeks before the Mid America Conference championships at the end of February.