Inside Look Of A UAE Hotel Placed Under Lockdown Following The COVID-19 Outbreak

A diary-type article published by VeloNews, expresses an insider’s account of how it’s like being held in quarantine at an Abu Dhabi hotel whilst awaiting his coronavirus test results. The reporter is staying at a media hotel placed under lockdown in Abu Dhabi, with participating teams of the UAE Tour placed under quarantine in neighbouring accommodations.

The reporter for VeloNews who was in Abu Dhabi to cover all the 411 about the UAE Tour, is being tested for novel coronavirus after two Italian staff members from the race tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, which led to the cancellation of the race before the two final rounds.

The account suggests that the coronavirus testing had been ongoing throughout the night and officials scrambled to compile a list of people involved in the race to get them tested and isolated.

“As I sit in a hotel on Yas Island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, I know little else… we’re all in quarantine, not to leave our hotels”

Race participants “have been confined in a small space… what’s happened to the thousands of people the race has come into contact with in the past week is another matter altogether…”

“ADSC states that “2 Italian participants” of the race have tested positive; other sources suggest it could be two Italian MASSEUSES working at the UAE Team Emirates team.”

“There’s a lot of sitting around not doing an awful lot.”

“They will be receiving their results in the next 36 hours and should be able to make their planned outbound flights… there is a nagging fear of a lengthy quarantine period.”

The reporter summed up his account by adding, “I may be here some time yet, trapped in our hotel. At least it’s a four-star.”