The Australian Open is thrown into chaos as 23 players travel on a charter flight to Melbourne with Covid-infected passengers on board, with nearly 50 competitors in full quarantine.
- Nearly 50 competitors of the Australian Open have been immersed in a hard lock
- A passenger flying from Abu Dhabi tested positive for coronavirus
- The update comes after two infections were reported during the flight from Los Angeles
The Australian Open has been thrown into new chaos after 23 players touched down in Melbourne on a charter flight with a Covid-infected passenger on board, bringing the number of competitors to 47.
The infected passenger, who is not a competitor in the tennis event, arrived at 8:20 a.m. on January 15 from the Abu Dhabi flight
There were 64 people on the plane, including 23 players.
“All passengers on the flight are already in quarantine hotels,” the Australian Open said in a statement.
The Covid-19 patient, who tested negative for coronavirus before the flight, has been taken to a health hotel.
Tennis players, coaches and officers arrive at a Melbourne hotel on Friday for 14 days in quarantine
Victoria Azarenka is one of almost 50 tennis players who have a strong block. She is seen during her flight to Australia this week
“The 23 players on the flight will not be able to leave their hotel room for 14 days and until they are medically authorized,” a statement continued.
“They won’t be able to practice.”
The update on Saturday night comes just hours after it was revealed that Australian Open double champion Victoria Azarenka is among the 24 players confined to hotel rooms after two positive tests of coronavirus came out of its charter flight.
The Victorian government’s Covid-19 Quarantine Victoria (CQV) confirmed that a non-player Australian Air Force member and participant of the Australian Open tested positive after arriving on the flight from Los Angeles on Friday. in the morning.
The two have been taken to a “health hotel”.
“It has been determined that the remaining 66 passengers on the flight are close contacts,” the CQV statement said.
Australian Bio Security staff are about to enter flight EY460 carrying tennis players and their support teams participating in the Melbourne Australian Open on Thursday
‘Players and support people will not be able to leave the quarantine to attend training sessions.
“Players are supported to access the equipment of their hotel rooms to help them maintain their fitness during this time.”
Players were originally exempted from leaving their quarantine hotel to train for up to five hours a day, but an email from Tennis Australia confirmed that everyone on board the flight would now be closed.
The email said: “Unfortunately, health authorities have informed us that two people on your flight from LAX who arrived at 5.15am on Friday 15 January have returned positive COVID-19 PCR tests to the get to Melbourne.
“The health chief has reviewed the flight and determined that all people on board need to be isolated and will be confined to their rooms during the 14 – day quarantine period.
Saturday night’s update comes just hours after it was revealed that Australian Open double champion Victoria Azarenka is among the 24 players confined to hotel rooms after two positive tests of coronaviruses arose from its charter flight.
“We know that’s not how you imagined your preparations for the AO would begin, but our entire team is here to support and do everything possible to achieve that.”
Later, the director of the Open Australian tournament, Craig Tiley, issued a statement informing that the 24 players who were on this flight will not be able to leave the hotel rooms for 14 days and until they are medically authorized. .
“We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and in particular with the game group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure that their needs are met as much as possible and that they are fully assessed on the situation,” said Tiley.
In addition to Azarenka, who won the title in 2012 and the 13th, American Sloane Stephens and Japanese star Kei Nishikori were also on the flight.
Nishikori had coronavirus in August.
All passengers had to return negative tests within 72 hours of departure.