Austin is quarantining up to 18 coronavirus patients at undisclosed hotel

In addition to the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the local Sobering Center, Austin is leasing another hotel that is housing up 18 coronavirus patients, but the city is declining to release the hotel’s location.

The city confirmed on March 31 that two hotels were housing quarantined coronavirus patients. The Crowne Plaza hotel—known officially as Austin/Travis County Facility One—is housing 8 patients as of April 1, according to a city spokesperson. A second hotel—Austin/Travis County Facility Two—which the city said had 129 rooms available, was housing 18 patients as of March 31.

Although already in use, the city has declined, after repeated requests, to release the location of the second hotel. The address and the lease terms on the Crowne Plaza were made public earlier this week.

“We are not releasing this information at this time due to patient privacy concerns,” a city spokesperson said in a written statement to Community Impact Newspaper.

As positive coronavirus cases begin to increase, the city said it would be turning to hotels as facilities to quarantine patients who could not safely isolate on their own. As of April 1, the Crowne Plaza was housing seven patients experiencing homelessness and 1 city of Austin worker, according to a city spokesperson.

Community Impact Newspaper has submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act to the city for the address of the second hotel.