Coronavirus scare: Hyatt restaurant staff sent on 14-day leave

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the hotel or the health ministry had tracked down other diners who may have been in the restaurant at the same time as the Delhi man who tested positive for COVID-19.

The Hyatt Regency hotel in Delhi has sent some of the employees at its La Piazza restaurant on 14 days’ leave after a Delhi man who dined at the restaurant last week tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) .

The hotel said that it does not have any confirmed cases of coronavirus to report among the staff members. (REUTERS)

“Government authorities recently confirmed that an individual who dined at La Piazza restaurant at Hyatt Regency Delhi on February 28, 2020, has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Since receiving this news, the hotel has enacted elevated precautionary operational protocols, including deep-cleaning measures in the restaurant, employee lockers and in all public areas, restaurants and meeting spaces across the hotel,” the hotel’s vice president and general manager VP and General Manager Julian Ayers said in a statement on Tuesday:

“All colleagues who were present at the restaurant on February 28, 2020, have been asked to (be in) self-quarantine for 14 days.” the statement added. The hotel did not disclose the number of employees asked to stay in quarantine.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the hotel or the health ministry had tracked down other diners who may have been in the restaurant at the same time as the Delhi man who tested positive for COVID-19. The restaurant seats around 80 people. It wasn’t immediately clear how many people were there on Friday.

The hotel, located at Bhikaiji Cama place, said that it had also started to conduct daily temperature checks for all employees and contractors when they enter and exit its premises.

“We continue to closely monitor this ongoing situation, remain vigilant in monitoring for symptoms among colleagues, and follow guidelines and protocols recommended by international and local authorities, in an effort to ensure guests and colleagues remain in a healthy and safe environment,” Ayers said in the statement.

The hotel said that it does not have any confirmed cases of coronavirus to report among the staff members. “We will continue to assist government authorities with any further questions or needs they may have,” the statement added.

Executives at the hotel said that they had also placed sanitizers at all places in the hotel. “We also have a doctor on call at the hotel in case anyone needs any assistance. The hotel is operating smoothly and we are committed to caring for our guests and colleagues, as their safety and well-being remains a top priority,” said one hotel executive who asked not to be named.