MELBOURNE – Some players preparing for the Australian Open will have to isolate themselves until they return a negative test for COVID-19 after a person working in one of the tournament’s quarantine hotels tested positive for the virus.
Daniel Andrews, the political leader of the state of Victoria, called a late-night press conference on Wednesday to announce the matter and urged anyone with symptoms in Melbourne to get tested.
Andrews said the case could have an impact on some of the six tune-up tournaments being held this week ahead of the Australian Open, involving any players, coaches or officials who had been quarantined at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Melbourne. are considered loose contacts of the 26-year-old infected male and must be isolated until they return a negative test.
The hotel advertises that it has 550 rooms, including 25 premium suites, so potentially hundreds of people could be involved. The follow-up to the positive case could test the determination of players recently quarantined from two weeks, and give ammunition to critics of the decision to let people from all over the world fly to the Australian Open.
“It could have an effect on tomorrow’s game in the run-up event,” Andrews said. “At this stage, this will not affect the actual tournament.”
The Australian Open is scheduled for Monday, with up to 30,000 spectators expected in Melbourne Park daily according to guidelines allowing a seating capacity of up to 50%.
The Australian Open organizers did not immediately have details on how many players should isolate.
Anyone arriving in Australia must undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine under COVID-19 pandemic regulations. The Australian Open used three Melbourne hotels to quarantine most of the players and had other safe accommodation and facilities in Adelaide, the state of South Australia for some of the biggest stars including Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
The infected person tested negative on his last day at the hotel on Friday, but then tested positive and has worked with government and health officials to track down contacts.
“This is a case,” Andrews said. “We are well-educated and well-educated in what to do.”
He said he held the press conference and announced restrictions requiring the mandatory use of face masks indoors “with an abundance of caution.”