More than 350 travellers evacuated from Sydney COVID-19 hotel after failing audit

A medi-hotel housing 366 repatriated Australians in Sydney is being evacuated after a review found the facility failed standards.

Repatriated Australians undergoing mandatory quarantine are being evacuated from the Travelodge Hotel in Sydeny after a review found the facility failed standards. Picture: Tim Hunter.

A medi-hotel housing repatriated Australians is being evacuated after the hotel failed an audit.

The NSW Government is moving the 366 people, who are required to quarantine for 14 days, out of the Travelodge Hotel in central Sydney to other quarantine facilities.

Police officers and military personnel have been seen ushering travellers outside the hotel and onto busses.

NSW Police said regular audits and reviews of hotel quarantine facilities were conducted, and those that did not meet the expectations were rotated out of the hotels roster.

“NSW Police ascertained that one such hotel did not meet the expectations required as part of the quarantine program and a decision was made to relocate all 366 guests to another, more suitable accommodation,” the statement said.

“The health, safety and comfort of all quarantined travellers remains a top priority for NSW Police.

“The NSW Police Force continues to work closely with NSW Health to ensure hotel quarantine operations comply with the highest standards, including having robust infection control measures in place at all quarantine facilities, with support from the NSW Clinical Excellence Commission.”

Travellers taken to the Travelodge Hotel in Sydney’s CBD for mandatory quarantine due to COVID-19 are being evacuated. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The relocation began Tuesday afternoon and is expected to take about 12 hours to complete.

NSW Police have been operating at up to 20 hotels since operations began in March.

More than 50,000 people have entered mandatory quarantine in supervised hotels. Currently, there are 4185 people isolating 16 hotels across Sydney.