Coronavirus: Low Patronage Hits Chinese Restaurants, Hotels in Lagos
The recent outbreak of coronavirus, which has resulted in the untimely death of a number of Chinese and citizens of other countries, in the last couple of weeks, has hit hospitality businesses in Lagos, Nigeria below the belt, investigation reveals..
Media reports across the globe disclosed that the death in China raised to 1,113 deaths and 44,653 infections the first week the outbreak.
Hubei, where the virus originated, was the worst hit, forcing other countries to immediately evacuate their citizens from China.
Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusnof the World Health Organization, told the world that the virus poses a “grave threat”and it could have “more powerful consequences than any terrorist action”.
Catholic Pope Francis also called for “a prayer goes out to our Chinese brothers and sisters who are suffering from such a cruel disease,” the pontiff said during his weekly general audience at the Vatican”.
Speaking on Wednesday Okanlawon Folarin, Sunrise Chinese Restaurant, located at Aromire, Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, said that the first week the virus broke out, a 30 percent drop in the sales was recorded in his restaurant “
His words: “We quickly contacted fumigation expert who arrived the premises of the restaurant with alcohol-based fumigation and ensure that all the doors, tables, and chairs were fumigated”.
Okanlawon, is also online and could be reached on: www.okanstalk.com, or okansatalkofficial on YouTube.
According to him, thereafter we bought sanitizers and gave an order that Chinese citizens should be encouraged to send their drivers to buy foods, since we were not sure if these Chinese are resident in Lagos or just arrive the state.
He further explained that even some Nigerians and citizens of other countries stopped patronizing their restaurant during the first two weeks of the outbreak and only began to come around in trickles when the federal and the Lagos state government began to roll out jingles and statements on the virus.
Even the O-PAY staff was also banned temporarily from coming to buy food and other items in the restaurant, even as we sold N15,000 or less during the weeks the outbreak was reported.
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Adeoti Bisola, manager on duty, Airport Hotel, Ikeja said that for some time now, Chinese citizens have not been coming to the hotel.
She also disclosed that two weeks before the outbreak, the entire hotel was fumigated, but lamented that since the breakout, low patronage, triggered by panic and fear has been recorded.
The manager commended that the management of the Nigerian Tribune for always supplying the hotel with copies of its newspapers.
A female manager with Jabita Intercontinental Hotel Limited, Ikeja, Lagos, who spoke off record also lamented poor patronage, and panic among lodgers and others.
A manager at a Chinese restaurant, located at Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, said that though the outbreak of the virus does not in any way affect the payment of the salaries of the staff for now, if it lingers on, the some staff could be fired and the salaries paid in installments.
Bassey Okon, a supervisor at a Chinese Restaurant located along Adeola Adeku in Victoria Island; Lagos said on phone that Chinese restaurants and hotels are at the receiving end of the rampaging virus.
These business concerns should endure the present pains, set up standards and be vigilant in order not to be caught off guard while the virus ravages on, he said.