BREAKING NEWS

One-third of Big Ten COVID cases have myocarditis - Penn State doc

In an alarming report, Penn State's director of athletic medicine says about one-third of the Big Ten athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 also show signs of myocarditis.
Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli presented his findings from cardiac MRI scans earlier this week during a meeting with school board officials in State College, Pa. Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that can be fatal if left unchecked.
"When we looked at our COVID-positive athletes, whether they were symptomatic or not, 30 to roughly 35 percent of their heart muscles (are) inflamed," Sebastianelli said, according to a story published Thursday by the Centre Daily Times. "And we really just don't know what to do with it right now. It's still very early in the infection. Some of that has led to the Pac-12 and the Big Ten's decision to sort of put a hiatus on what's happening."
The Big Ten announced its decision to postpone football and other fall sports on Aug. 11.
Neither Penn State nor the Big Ten responded to the newspaper's requests for comment.
"I have had no direct conversation with (Penn State) President (Eric) Barron on this topic," Sebastianelli told the Centre Daily Times in an email, "but needless to say we all have concerns for the health and safety of every PSU student-athlete, as well as those at every level of competition; this is a public health issue."