A notice issued by the hotel had been circulating online earlier, which says guests who tested positive within 24 hours of their stay would be charged HK$5,000 via credit card. The measure aims to protect the safety of guests and staff members, according to the notice.

The HK$5,000 fee is much higher than the cost of staying at the hotel – a single room at Nina Hotel Kowloon East is available at only HK$488 per night.

Following public outrage, the charge which was introduced on Valentine's Day has been dropped on Thursday.

The group explained it launched the disinfection fee after it found some guests to have used the hotel for quarantine after they accepted mandatory Covid-19 tests. They checked into the hotel by making false disclaimers.

Such behavior seriously endangers the safety of both guests and staffers, which is why the group came up with the fee to stop it, the group stated.

Yet, after considering feedback from guests and the public, the group decided to cancel the arrangement and apologized for any inconvenience caused.

It also recommended citizens subjected to compulsory testing to stay at home and wait for their testing results, in order to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus in local communities. The group also reminded citizens who wish to stayed with them to report their health conditions honestly.