Luxury hotels in Chennai have come under scrutiny by health department officials after two big-name hotels reported groups of COVID-19
Infection in rapid succession.
The Leela Palace reported that 20 of its staff members tested positive for the virus, while ITC Grand Chola, another hotel located downtown, has reported more than 85 cases so far. In all, more than 125 cases have come to light from the city’s luxury hotels, in contrast to a steadily declining statewide count.
Taking notice of the situation, the city corporation has begun saturation tests of hotel staff throughout the city, particularly targeting those units that have had large meetings in the recent past, according to an official familiar with the measures. containment.
The city corporation has been closely monitoring the situation at these hotels. Faced with immense price pressure and indescribably low occupancy levels, luxury hotels in Chennai, like those in other metropolises, have had to reduce staffing and are running their units with reduced human resources. With the opening of restaurants, the Food and Beverage segments of these hotels are providing the much-needed injection in the arm to keep business afloat.
Chennai corporation officials are experts in cluster containment, having dealt with similar situations in the past such as tracking down returnees from the Tablighi Jamaat conference in March last year.
According to the state health department, the daily COVID count across the state had dropped below 900 cases in recent days. On Sunday, the daily count was 867 cases. In Chennai, fewer than 300 people test positive for the virus every day, a clear indication of a reflux in virality.
Therefore, Tamil Nadu, more or less, has aligned itself with the national trend of reducing cases. However, the outbreak of cases in these luxury hotels poses a new challenge for the Palaniswami government, which has left little room for the opposition to stage an attack to contain the virus.
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