Skip to main content

Highly-contagious UK Covid-19 strain is found in three travellers linked to the Australian Open who tested positive to the virus after arriving into Melbourne on charter flights

Three travellers who arrived in Melbourne on a dedicated Australian Open charter flight have tested positive to the highly contagious UK strain of Covid-19.

The trio are not players, and have been in 'hard lockdown' in hotel quarantine since they landed. 

It is the first time the virulent UK strain has been associated with the tournament.

Health authorities fear an outbreak of the new strain would be devastating to the effort to keep the virus in check until vaccines can be rolled out to the Australian population.

Pictured: A staff member wearing PPE works to clean surfaces at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Three travellers linked to the Australian Open have arrived in Melbourne carrying the highly contagious UK strain of Covid-19

Pictured: A staff member wearing PPE works to clean surfaces at Melbourne Park on Thursday. Three travellers linked to the Australian Open have arrived in Melbourne carrying the highly contagious UK strain of Covid-19

Analysis by Imperial College London researchers confirmed the new UK strain is nearly 50 percent more transmissible, based on samples taken from nearly 86,000 Britons. 

Victoria's health department said the three people infected are a teenage girl and two men in their 20s who flew to Melbourne on a dedicated Australian Open charter flight on January 15.

They returned their first positive tests on January 15, 17 and 18, bringing the total number of infected people linked to the tennis tournament to 10. 

On Friday, it was revealed that Spanish tennis player Paula Badosa, the world No.67, had tested positive to coronavirus.

The 23-year-old had previously complained about the tough restrictions on players, brought in after others tested positive on three charter flights to Melbourne. 

'I'm feeling unwell and have some symptoms, but I'll try to recover as soon as possible listening to the doctors,' she wrote in both Spanish and English.

Badosa tested positive on her seventh day of hotel quarantine and must spend at least 10 days in isolation from the date of her test.

She is one of 72 players in lockdown after someone from their flight tested positive on arrival in Melbourne. 

Victoria now has 33 active coronavirus cases but the hotel quarantine system is keeping it contained so far, with the state enjoying 17 straight days without any local transmission of the virus.

Tennis players and their support teams are seen disembarking Flight EY460 on January 14

Tennis players and their support teams are seen disembarking Flight EY460 on January 14 

Australia's move to host the grand slam has proved controversial with a Roy Morgan survey revealing that a third of people want the tennis tournament postponed. 

The survey  of 1648 people found just over a quarter, or 26 per cent wanted the tournament scrapped with another 38 per cent saying it should be postponed.  

Australia's Health Department says on its website that Australia's borders are closed to foreign nationals.

Exceptions are continually being made however, for the tennis tournament and for farmers to fly in fruit pickers from impoverished neighbouring countries to harvest their crops.

Workers wearing personal protective equipment are seen disinfecting a tennis court on Friday

Workers wearing personal protective equipment are seen disinfecting a tennis court on Friday

These exceptions are controversial as thousands of ordinary Australian citizens stranded abroad struggle to return home.

In January, the National Cabinet agreed to halve the cap on returning international arrivals in WA, NSW and QLD to ease pressure on hotel quarantine - and require daily testing for quarantine workers.

The cut was prompted by threat posed by the new, highly infectious UK and South African strains of coronavirus.

The reduction means about 2,500 fewer people will be able to enter the country each week until at least mid-February when national cabinet will review the policy. 

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o