Up to 85 people, including staff members from ITC Grand Chola in Guindy, near Chennai, have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last fortnight. “A staff member tested positive on December 15th. So far a total of 609 samples have been collected and 85 of them were positive. Chennai Corporation has recommended saturation testing of all hotel residents, ”State Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said on Saturday.
Officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation confirmed that they will conduct saturation tests on all luxury hotels. Hotels in the city have been instructed to strictly follow government-issued SOPs.
This is the second group of its kind in the city after IIT Madras, where around 200 students tested positive for Covid-19 last December.
In an email statement, ITC Grand Chola said that most of its associates have no contact with other associates and guests as they work from home.
“The health and safety of our guests and associates is of the utmost importance. The property has been practicing the necessary SOPs established by the authorities, along with its own accredited strict hygiene and sanitation protocol. From social distancing in public areas to rigorous kitchen hygiene and regular associate health checks, all safety and prevention measures are being meticulously followed.
“Each member of the team is trained and sensitized about the monitoring of the prescribed prevention of the Covid -19 protocol, in the interest of their safety and that of the guests. Although the GCC has classified some associates as asymptomatic and mild, the majority of our associates are working from home and have been absent from the property, so they have no contact with other associates and guests, ”the statement read.
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