Chennai hotel turns COVID-19 hotspot, 85 test positive in last 15 days

CHENNAI: A total of 85 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at the ITC Grand Chola hotel in Guindy in the last 15 days.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, S Dhivyadarshini, Joint Commissioner of Health, Chennai Corporation, said 85, including contacts, tested positive out of the 609 tests conducted since December 15.

Health officials said fever camps have been held there and all employees and guests were advised to undergo testing. Officials said the patients are in a stable condition and were isolated. “Some had a travel history to foreign countries,” an official said.

The New Indian Express could not reach ITC Grand Chola for comment. However, a health department official said all hotels must follow protocols and severe action would be taken if they failed to do so.

“Yesterday, many hotels had large gatherings and it was observed that no social distancing was followed. Hotels are advised to follow precautions,” said the official.

Health secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said the first case at the ITC Grand Chola was reported after a chef got infected on December 15.

“All the hotels are advised to follow stringent precautionary measures,” he told The New Indian Express.

This is the second such cluster to come up in the city after IIT Madras where about 200 students had tested positive in December last year. However, officials said the health condition of all the students was normal and they were asymptomatic.