Sport fan seemingly picked up Covid-19 at AFL game then went to rugby match
There are serious fears after a sports fan seemingly became infected with Covid at an AFL game before going to a rugby match.
Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak has grown to 24 cases, including some linked to popular sporting events and nearby pubs, while schools are also on high alert.
Covid-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar told reporters on Friday that there were now 126 exposure sites, more than 3000 primary close contacts and 3500 secondary close contacts.
Four cases have been confirmed at the MCG, stemming from the Carlton versus Geelong AFL clash last Saturday.
“All these four individuals are not known to each other and are not known to the two other people that we know were in the MCC level 2 reserve, including the index case,” Mr Weimar said.
The infections include a child under the age of 10 and a man aged in his 30s, who is a staff member at Trinity Grammar School.
“This individual also has an exposure at the Wallabies game at AAMI Park a few days later,” Mr Weimar said.
That man had attended the Wallabies versus France Test match in Melbourne on Tuesday night.
The two other cases are both men aged in their 20s, one of whom works at the Sanctuary Lakes Hotel.
A further two cases are linked to the Young and Jacksons pub across from Flinders Street Station.
Both are men aged in their 30s, with one of them living on a naval base and the other an office worker in Richmond.
“We have a full response and my thanks to the ADF for the response around the naval base. A lot of testing was undertaken there yesterday,” Mr Weimar said.
“Also, a very high vaccination group at the naval base. We continue to work with them.”
Authorities have identified 207 primary close contacts associated with the pub.
“It was match day, so a very busy time. We expect those numbers to continue to rise,” Mr Weimar said.
Meanwhile, the Ariele Apartments outbreak has grown to seven, with the additional case a close contact of a previously confirmed infection.
All positive cases have been moved to hotel quarantine, while 106 residents remain on site and 104 of them have tested negative so far.
There are also six cases around Barwon Heads, including a man who joined his friend from the apartment at the AFL game.
A third household contact of his has now also tested positive.
Two staff at Bacchus Marsh Grammar, who are work colleagues of that first index case, have also tested positive, bringing the total number of infections for that group to six.
Authorities have identified a total of 916 primary close contacts, including at the school.
“We will continue to do testing with the school community there and Barwon Heads Primary School,” Mr Weimar said.
The Hume outbreak remains at five cases, with more than half of the 220 primary close contacts returning negative test results so far.
Of the 24 cases in Victoria, one was fully vaccinated and four had received a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Mr Weimar also said authorities had expanded the warning area for the members reserve area at the MCG.
“If you were in the members reserve for the Carlton-Geelong game last Saturday, you would have got a message from us to come forward and get tested, and to isolate for 14 days,” he said.
“There are other parts of that members reserve that continues to be tier two exposure sites.”
Anyone who has not been contacted is still urged to get tested if they have symptoms out of an abundance of caution.
“We know there is mixing outside the ground and we are very keen to make sure we’ve got you covered,” Mr Weimar said.
A number of exposures on public transport, particularly trams moving between the MCG and Flinders Street and Swanson Street, have also been added to the list.
Melbourne and Olympic Parks, which manages AAMI Park, said the infected man who attended the rugby match had arrived at the stadium at 8.08pm via gate 7.
He sat on level 1, aisle 21, on the western side of the venue in zone 2.
Management said those who were seated on level 1 in aisles 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 had been classified as tier 2 contacts and must immediately isolate, get tested and stay isolated until they receive a negative result.
“Guests who were seated in high-risk areas will be contacted directly by the health department and will need to follow their specific advice,” AAMI Park said in a statement.
“The rest of Zone 2 has been classified as a tier 3 exposure site.
“Guests should monitor for symptoms and if they develop, get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.”
Patrons zones are listed on their ticket.
Management said the stadium had now been closed and would undergo an “intensive clean”.
About 20,000 fans attended the match on Tuesday night, which saw the French down the Wallabies 28 to 26.
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