Two more Australian Open players tested positive for COVID-19, government officials said on Wednesday as authorities had cross-purposes over who would pay the quarantine bill for the tournament.
Victoria Police Minister Lisa Neville said two players and a non-playing Australian Open contestant consisted of three new infections reported on Wednesday.
A total of 10 people associated with the Grand Slam, including four players, have now tested positive for the virus.
There was some confusion about the exact numbers, and the authorities’ test results are later reclassified as’ viral error ‘of previous infections.
The viral contaminants are not contagious.
Neville said authorities are “very confident” that one of the two infections with new players was a case of viral shedding.
“Of the other two, it’s less clear that they are shedding. It will be worked through, and that is one player and one support person,” Neville told reporters.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said two players who tested positive on Tuesday were also viral shakers.
More than 70 players and their entourage have been confined to their hotel rooms for 14 days and will not be able to train for the Australian Open from 8 to 21 February after passengers on three charter flights tested positive.
Authorities have raised large sums of money to fly more than 1,200 players, coaches and officials on 17 charter flights to Australia to tackle this year’s first Grand Slam.
Tiley said the quarantine costs could exceed A $ 40 million, part of which is covered by the state government of Victoria.
“The state government supports and helps it,” he told radio station 3AW on Wednesday.
Neville disputed that.
“I have confirmed that it will be reaffirmed three times today by the Australian Open,” she said.
“The taxpayer does not contribute to the (Australian Open) hotel quarantine program.”
A number of players have complained about the conditions and drawn a fierce backlash from Australians who have criticized the players for being ‘entitled’, even though thousands of citizens remain stranded overseas.
The women’s world no. 28 of Kazak, Yulia Putintseva, complained about an infestation of mice in her quarantine and said the windows would not open in her room.
She later posted a video on Twitter of mice in her room.
it’s actually a lot of them! Now not even 1 in my room🤦🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/uUaicOhoB5
– Yulia Putintseva (@PutintsevaYulia) 19 January 2021
Tiley said on Tuesday that ‘the vast majority’ of players support Australia’s strict protocols.