NANJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lele, a two-year-old boy, had an unforgettable birthday Friday in Nanjing International Expo Center Hotel, east China's Jiangsu Province.
Lele and his mother are currently in quarantine for medical observation at the hotel as they were on the same flight with someone suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus.
To control the spread of the epidemic, Chinese authorities have arranged designated hotels to accommodate novel coronavirus-affected passengers and residents from Hubei Province in the past few days, with lists of the hotels posted online.
Jenny Bian, general manager of Nanjing International Expo Center Hotel, said the hotel immediately called back staff on holiday to prepare after learning it was on the list.
"We firstly assigned a separated floor for these people to stay in, and then cleaned and disinfected the rooms thoroughly," Bian said. The hotel also provided plenty of sheets, personal essentials and drinking water.
According to Bian, people have to get their body temperature taken before checking in, and the special group of guests need to spend two weeks in quarantine in their rooms.
The hotel staff, with face masks and protective clothing, deliver three meals for the guests every day. Medical workers from local hospitals are also available for regular observation, Bian said.
"No one backed down, though we worried about being infected. All of us tried every means to provide a warm and attentive service to help them enjoy a pleasant stay," Bian said.
To celebrate Lele's birthday, the hotel staff prepared a cake, and "also sang a song by telephone," Bian said.
Bian said she understood the feelings of being isolated, especially during the Spring Festival holiday, when family members are traditionally reunited. "What we can do is to make them feel at home."
Besides Jiangsu, Shanghai, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hunan and other provinces have also designated hotels for travelers from Hubei.
"We are fighting the novel coronavirus, not people from Hubei Province," said Hu Quan, a local official in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu. Enditem
