Covid-19: Kolkata hotels asked to keep isolation rooms for guests

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India has asked hotels of all categories in Kolkata to keep isolation rooms for guests irrespective of whether they are coming from abroad or within the country. An official of the association on Monday said it has sought around 500 rooms in star and non-star category hotels in the metropolis in a bid to contain the outbreak of novel coronavirus which has affected 415 people in the country, out of which 41 are foreigners, and left seven dead.

"We have drawn up a list of star and non-star category hotels where the association has asked for earmarking around 500 rooms for isolation purpose," Sudesh Poddar, secretary of the association told PTI. He said the association is in discussion with the states health and tourism departments to ascertain whether these rooms will be reserved for foreign guests, domestic ones or both. Poddar said some guests are already staying in some of the hotels. "We wanted a clarification from the government whether they can continue their stay in view of the outbreak. There is no reply from the government so far," he said.

He said the names of hotels where rooms have been sought for isolation purpose cannot be revealed. Poddar said the association has informed the government that the hospitality industry is passing through a very difficult time and has sought some concessions in payments of property tax, electricity duty and excise licence fees," he said. According to him, the average occupancy level across hotels of all categories has become close to zero per cent.