Kerala trade says business as usual: Viral fever outbreak
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State Health Minister P K Sreemathi was quoted as saying that tests have confirmed the fever as chikungunya.
It has so far claimed 173 lives.
She said they are ready to invite the World Health Organisation to study the mosquito-borne disease.
Reports said, the Kottayam and Pattanamthitta districts are claimed to be the worst affected areas.
However, hotel properties and tour operators in the state of Kerala report otherwise.
Taj Malabar Cochin told TDA that the impact of the viral fever has not affected the high occupancy rate of their property and in fact it is currently 96% full.
Mahesh Ramachandran, the hotel’s Activities and Planning Manager, said in the past two weeks, the average of occupancy rate was 75-80%, compared to 50-60% last year.
Ramachandran, also said that their consistent high number of guests also proves that that number of tourist arrivals is not slowing down and have extended into what is usually scheduled to be the state’s low season.
The viral fever also has not affected any of their staff and therefore their operations are business as usual.
The local and health authorities are actively working towards controlling and resolving the problem “by clearing clogged waterways, disinfecting other possible polluted water sources with chlorine and bleach to stamp out the disease”, Ramachandran added.
A representative of U&V Tours and Travel Pty Ltd, a tour operator specialising in the state, confirmed with TDA that they have not received any booking cancellations.
The representative also showed confidence that the monsoon season will attract more visitors to Kerala, as it is the best time of the year to experience the beauty of its nature.
The viral fever is transmitted usually by the bite of the Aedes mosquito, which also causes dengue.
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