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- Victorian authorities are concerned a man who’s tested positive for COVID-19 may have picked up the virus from the Boxing Day Cricket Test at the MCG
- The man attended day two of the test, alongside just under 24,000 others, meaning thousands of people may now need to be tested and self-isolate
- This one case of COVID-19 has been labelled a mystery as health officials continue to try and determine where the man contracted the virus
- The virus scare at the MCG comes ahead of Sydney’s Cricket Test on Thursday, with punters now facing new rules while attending matches
- Altogether, Victoria recorded only one case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, while NSW recorded four local cases
Thousands of Victorians are being asked to self-isolate after a man who attended day two of the Boxing Day Cricket Test at the MCG tested positive for COVID-19.
Just under 24,000 punters were in attendance at the cricket match on December 27, with 8000 people sitting in the affected zone of the stadium.
Victorian health officials have labelled the case a “mystery” and are trying to determine where the man picked up the virus.
Both the MCG and Chadstone Shopping Centre are being investigated as potential acquisition sites, as unlike other cases, the man hasn’t been linked to the NSW cluster.
“There is a potential, I stress potential, acquisition in terms of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG,” the State’s COVID-19 Response Commander Jeroen Weimar said.
Altogether, only one locally acquired case of COVID-19 was recorded in Victoria on Wednesday, while four local cases were identified in NSW.
The news of this potential MCG Boxing Day Cricket test infection comes ahead of Sydney’s controversial Cricket Test at the SCG on Thursday.
The NSW Government has already reduced the capacity for the test twice but refused to cancel it entirely despite the current outbreak in the state.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said following the scare in Melbourne though, punters will be forced to wear a mask — or face a $1000 fine.
“From the moment effectively you get into the transport to get there, and get into the queue at the front door of the SCG and go to your seat, and sit in the your seat, you must wear a mask,” he said.
“The only exception to that, if you’re eating or drinking,” the Health Minister added.
