The Boxing Day Test between Australia and India which was played from December 26-29 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), in Melbourne has been declared a possible COVID-19 hotspot, after a spectator who attended the match tested positive for the deadly virus.
State health authorities said the man in his thirties was not infectious while at the famed Melbourne Cricket Ground on the second day of play "but there is potential he acquired the virus while there" or at a nearby shopping center. They have urged fans seated nearby that they must get tested and isolate themselves.
"The MCG is being investigated as a potential source for the infection. We're encouraging anyone who was in The Great Southern Stand, zone 5 of the MCG between 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm on 27 December, to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result," Victoria's Department of Health said.
The Boxing Day Test is a centerpiece of Australia cricket and just under 30,000 people attended this year, well short of capacity.
Australia is currently battling to bring a cluster of cases under control and hoping aggressive testing and contact tracing can help avoid full-scale lockdowns, despite being relatively free of COVID-19.
The upcoming third Test between the two sides will start on January 7 at the SCG, which is in the latest epicenter of a recent outbreak, Sydney. The number of spectators has been restricted to 25 percent of seating capacity in order to make sure it does not become a mass spreading event.
India's tour Down Under has been beset with Covid-19 related problems. The visitors are reluctant to travel to Queensland for the fourth and final Test at Gabba, Brisbane, because of the possibility of serving another hard quarantine.
The Queensland Minister for health and ambulances Ross Bates already said that if the Indian team doesn’t want to follow the rules, they shouldn’t come here at all.
(AFP inputs)
