Hotel quarantine organisers held a staff party just days before COVID escaped program

It’s been revealed hotel quarantine organisers held a party to celebrate the success of the tennis quarantine program, just days before the deadly virus escaped.

COVID Quarantine Victoria (CQV) threw the party for 60 staff at the View Hotel — one of the Australian Open quarantine hotels — on Sunday.

Three days later, one of their colleagues, a residential support officer at the Grand Hyatt, tested positive to COVID-19.

There are fears he’s possibly infected with the UK superstrain of the virus.

CQV has confirmed it hosted what it calls a “small outdoor function” to thank team leaders and site and general managers. The residential support officer who has contracted COVID-19 did not attend.

Deakin University chair of epidemiology, Professor Catherine Bennett, has told the Herald Sun it was unwise to hold such a large gathering.

She says “if at risk staff throw themselves together in a social gathering it undermines the entire quarantine program.”