CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has administered more than 1,200 COVID-19 tests to student-athletes and associated staff since the return to campus by the Illini football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, soccer and volleyball teams in June. Results of those tests were released Monday after the DIA initially said it wouldn’t release that information.

Those tests, administered weekly after the initial quarantine phase for the 164 student-athletes back on campus — have delivered 23 positive cases. That puts the test positivity rate at 1.9 percent. Of the 23 positive tests, only three remain active.

“Midway through the summer, (athletic director Josh Whitman) and our sports medicine group thought it would be beneficial to release an aggregate number at the end of the summer,” Illinois sports information director Kent Brown told The News-Gazette. “It was a way to show the protocols we were using worked without giving information that might identify any individuals who tested positive.”

Twelve student-athletes tested positive upon their arrival to campus. The other 11 were a result of interaction between roommates or through community spread. Only four of the positive tests were deemed symptomatic. In those cases, symptoms were minor and there were no hospitalizations.

The bulk of the 164 student-athletes on campus — more than 100 — are Illinois football players. That group accounted for more than 75 percent of the positive tests.

The DIA said there is no evidence that the positive COVID-19 transmission came from athletic activities or through the use of campus athletic facilities. In addition to testing student-athletes, more than 420 tests have been administered to staff members who are in regular contact with student-athletes. Two positive cases were reported from that group.