Nairobi’s Jacaranda hotel remained open Thursday even as San Valencia bowed to government orders to shut down over cholera infections linked to the eateries.
The Jacaranda Nairobi Hotel was still receiving visitors yesterday, with the staff saying they have been operating normally despite the many calls from clients wanting to know whether they were closed.
The Valencia Gardens Restaurant, a San Valencia Hotel affiliate, had a posted notice on its gate on Riara Road notifying guests of its closure. “Valencia Gardens Restaurant will remain closed today. By management,” the note read.
Calls and an email request for comments to Jacaranda Hotels Group sales manager Liz Tapawa went unanswered.
A receptionist at the hotel said: “Everything is okay and we are still operating despite the many calls we are receiving on the same.
“The information given to media on Wednesday was incorrect and we are waiting for the Ministry (of Health) to clarify the situation.”
The Nairobi County Health executive, Dr Bernard Muia, said earlier Jacaranda Hotel had defied directive to shut over cholera outbreak.
He vowed tough action against the facility by end of day Thursday.
Health secretary Cleopa Mailu on Wednesday issued an order to close the two top Nairobi hotels on what he said was evidence-based cholera-risk to the public.
“We have so far closed down two hotels — Jacaranda and San Valencia. We shall continue to do so if there is evidence that there is a cholera risk to the public,” said Dr Mailu during a tour of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) to assess the cholera-response effort.
As of yesterday KNH had 101 patients admitted with cholera-related symptoms and 67 confirmed cases of the acute diarrhoeal illness.
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