Curbs on foreign tourists in Kottayam

Resorts asked to furnish travel details of foreign guests

As part of strengthening the preventive measures against the spread of COVID-19 in the district, the authorities have imposed strict regulations on the stay of foreigners in the various hotels and resorts in the district.

In a meeting convened here on Monday, District Collector P.K. Sudheer Babu directed the hotel and resort operators to furnish the travel details of their foreign guests over the past one month. Further, they were also asked to share the details of foreign guests who are currently staying at these locations on a daily basis.

Though no guests who had booked rooms in advance should be denied accommodation, a directive with regard to regulating the number of new bookings was also issued.

Quarantine

In view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the globe, foreigners should be quarantined in their rooms for two weeks. If anyone exhibited symptoms of the disease, the Corona Control Room should be alerted.

Foreign tourists have been also banned from roaming around their place of stay and from using the public transportation systems. The hotels have also been directed to arrange vehicles for their return journey to the airport.

The Health Department on Monday started a survey to collect details of the guests staying at the hotels and resorts. The survey teams, led by the Primary Health Centres concerned, also comprised police officials.

With the authorities suggesting home quarantine of 122 people in Kottayam, the number of persons under observation in their homes rose to 1,301 on Monday. Two persons, including a child who had come into direct contact with one of the COVID-19 patients, were admitted to special isolation ward at the Government Medical College Hospital.

Campaign launched

Earlier in the day, Food and Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman inaugurated the district-level launch of the ‘Break the Chain’ campaign.

As part of it, hand wash kiosks were established in the various government and private establishments across the district.

The Minister reviewed the Corona helpdesk at the Kottayam railway station.