Ramada Zen Quarter guests receive medical clearance for coronavirus from NT Health

The NT Health Department has given medical clearance to guests staying at the Ramada Zen Quarter Hotel, after a Melbourne businessman staying there was initially told to steer clear of his Darwin clients for fears he had been exposed to coronavirus.

The NT Health Department has given medical clearance to guests staying at the Ramada Zen Quarter Hotel, after a Melbourne businessman staying there was initially told to steer clear of his Darwin clients for fears he had been exposed to coronavirus.

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A Melbourne businessman has been cleared to visit his Darwin clients after initially being told to steer clear for fears he had been exposed to coronavirus.

The man, who is staying at Ramada Zen Quarter where Darwin’s first positive tested case was also a guest, is one of many fly-in fly-out workers in the hotel who have suffered similar panic from their Territory workplaces.

A hotel spokeswoman said their guests had suffered unnecessary panic and concern after being kept in the dark from the NT Health Department.

“It was the lack of information which caused unnecessary worry for these companies and guests,” she said.

“If we had all the information at the start, none of the chaos which we’ve seen over the past two days would have been caused.”

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The man was told he couldn’t come into his Darwin client’s workplaces until he had received medical clearance because he had stayed in the hotel.

However, NT Health told the man he couldn’t be swab tested, leaving him facing the possibility of losing work.

“As I was deemed to be limited risk of having coronavirus I was informed that testing could not be approved, the reason for this was limited manpower for testing, and the cost of tests is expensive,” the man said.

“I was then advised that I could resume my duties and attend work. However, the client has requested that I have a medical clearance before I attend site.”

The man finally received clearance from the Health Department along with all guests from the hotel.

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But he only heard that through Zen management, who he said had been incredibly helpful in providing information to him when it came through to them.

“Someone from NT Health has itself caused alarm and panic by naming my hotel on Victorian TV reports, well before we were informed,” he said.