MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Nearly 500 Australian Open players and staff have stayed at a quarantine hotel where an employee under COVID-19 contract tested negative for the coronavirus, with 12 awaiting results , competition director Craig Tiley said Friday.
Tiley told Australian radio that 495 people among the Australian Open group of 507 who stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne were evicted.
“So far everyone is negative,” Tiley told 3AW.
“We have a few to come. The upcoming ones are just a result of being tested later last night.
“So far that has been positive and we hope that in the next few hours, we will get a good result, all of which are negative.”
The Australian Open group at the Grand Hyatt, which included 160 players, was asked to be tested and separated until they found a result after health officials said Wednesday that a worker was at home. host got the virus.
Warm-up matches at Melbourne Park were called off on Thursday but are expected to resume on Friday.
Players who have tested negative are free to participate in the six warm-up events at the Grand Slam venue to allow them to use maids after 14 days in quarantine.
Victoria’s state, of which Melbourne is the capital, did not announce new cases of community outbreak on Friday.
Authorities have agreed 30,000 fans a day, around 50% capacity, at the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.
“Viewers will continue to license the site, and we are still selling tickets,” said Tiley.
“The site will be a very safe place.”
Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Edited by Pritha Sarkar