1st positive case during Aussie strict quarantine

MELBOURNE • The Victoria state government yesterday confirmed one new case of Covid-19 among the 72 players undergoing hard quarantine ahead of the Australian Open, a few hours after Spanish player Paula Badosa said she had tested positive for the virus.

The world No. 67 was the first player entered for next month's Grand Slam to confirm a positive test, although four players were among the 10 cases announced earlier this week.

There has been confusion over the exact numbers, however, with several test results later reclassified by Victoria health authorities as "viral shedding" from previous infections.

Badosa, 23, flew to Australia from Abu Dhabi and was halfway through her 14 days of quarantine when her test came back positive, prompting her move to a "health hotel".

"I'm feeling unwell and have symptoms, but I'll try to recover as soon as possible listening to the doctors," she posted on Twitter.

Her spot at the first Slam of the year, scheduled to start on Feb 8, is now in serious doubt after the authorities confirmed that anyone contracting the virus would have to undergo additional quarantine.

"That's an unfortunate consequence for anyone who becomes a confirmed case - the isolation period starts from when that case is confirmed," the state's chief health officer Brett Sutton said.

"For ordinary coronavirus, that period is at least 10 days, so you have to be free of symptoms for three days and complete that 10 days.

"For the variants of concern, including the UK strain as some call it, that period of isolation is 14 days so it will depend on those elements."

While most of the players are able to train for up to five hours a day, as many as 72 players have been strictly confined to their hotel rooms due to positive cases on the three charter flights that brought them to Australia.

Badosa was one of those who complained about the strict anti-virus curbs for the players. But, in light of her positive test, she admitted she was wrong and that "quarantine and preventive measures are pivotal right now".

REUTERS​

  • 4 Players were among the 10 Covid-19 cases announced earlier this week. Paula Badosa is the first player entered for next month's Grand Slam to confirm a positive test.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 23, 2021, with the headline 1st positive case during Aussie strict quarantine. Subscribe