Travelers from India to pay Sh13,000 a night in quarantine

George Kebaso @Morarak

A visitor from India will pay at least Sh13,000 a night to be accommodated at the Hilton Garden Inn, one of the selected ten isolation facilities in Nairobi.

This means it will cost one person Sh182,000 for the mandatory 14 days isolation.

The cheapest a traveller jetting into the country from the Asian country – hit heavily by the third wave of coronavirus – will pay is Sh7,000 a night at the Ufungamano Guest House, the Convent International Hotel and the Strand Leisure Hotel, all in Nairobi.

The government announced 10 selected quarantine facilities for in-bound travelers especially affecting those from India from Wednesday evening.

Mandatory quarantine

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council (KMPDC) said a few hours after the government banned flights between India and Kenya, the travelers will bear the cost of isolation.

The list released by KMPDC Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Yumbya shows that the ten facilities are in Nairobi and Mombasa. It also shows the number of rooms available for the travelers.

“Following the resolution by the Ministry of Health to suspend all passenger flights into the country from India, the Council has released a list of isolation facilities where those travelling into the country from India will undergo mandatory quarantine at their cost,” Yumbya said in a statement. 

Those who will be isolated at the Waridi Paradise Hotel and Suites in Hulirgham, Nairobi will cough up to Sh10,000 per night.

This will cost a total of Sh140,000 for 14 days same as those to be isolated at the Royal Tulip Hotel on Chaka Road in Kilimani, Nairobi.

Two weeks

At the Ngong Hills Hotel on Ngong Road, Nairobi, a traveller will be required to pay Sh9,000 per night. This will amount to Sh126,000 in the two weeks of quarantine.

The statement shows that those who will be housed at the Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel for the mandatory two weeks will pay up to Sh119,000. It will cost Sh8,500 per night.

“In Mombasa, the Reef Hotel is available at Sh8,000 per night and at the Mombasa Beach Hotel,it will cost Sh9, 000 a night,” Yumbya indicated.

On Wednesday, the government said all passenger flights travelling from India will not be allowed into Kenya, at least for the next 14 days.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the ban, which takes effect from midnight tomorrow follows a huge surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths in the South Asian country.

“All passengers arriving from India within these 72 hours shall be subjected to rapid antigen testing upon arrival at our ports of entry and shall be required to strictly observe a 14-day quarantine period that will be closely monitored by our health officials,” Kagwe stated.

Kenya now joins a number of other countries among them the UK, France, Canada, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Oman and Singapore that have either banned travel to and from India.