Singapore: Indian restaurant to be charged for breaching COVID-19 measures
Singapore's leading Indian restaurant chain "Banana Leaf Apolo" will be charged in a court next week with breaching safety management measures, including having a self-service buffet, at its outlet in the Little India precinct. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) filed a Magistrate's Complaint on January 20 against Banana Leaf Apolo for multiple breaches under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
Issue came up after authorities escalated inspection at public places
This came as the authorities stepped up inspections at food and beverage premises, malls, and other public spaces over the past week to ensure compliance with safety management measures during the Chinese New Year period beginning this week.
Restaurant chain will be charged in court on February 17
"The restaurant chain will be charged in court on February 17 over failing to ensure that the gathering on its premises did not exceed the maximum group size allowed," The Straits Times reported. "It will be charged for not enforcing one-meter distance between customers, for providing a self-service buffet, for allowing customers to make speeches and play video recordings in the outlet," it reported.
102 individuals and 12 F&B premises were penalized for breaches
The restaurant serves meals on banana leaf following the meal serving tradition in some southern Indian states. Further, the ministry said 102 individuals and 12 F&B premises were penalized for breaches during the week. "Among these, six outlets have been ordered to close. Five outlets and 29 people were fined for breaching safe management measures," the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said.
Chinatown's crowd size has shrunk by about 20 percent
A total of 73 individuals were also issued fines for breaching COVID-19 regulations at parks and beaches. "As a result of the ramped-up enforcement, crowd size in Chinatown has also shrunk by about 20 percent compared with the week before, as the enhanced crowd control measures started last Friday," added the ministry.
Singapore reported 15 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday
As Singapore celebrates the Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) from Friday, Chinatown has been a favorite precinct for picking up Chinese-origin goodies and products. Meanwhile, Singapore reported 15 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, including one from a migrant workers' dormitory. "The other 14 were imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice on arrival in Singapore," said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
A Singapore Airlines cabin crew member tested positive for coronavirus
The latest cases bring Singapore's total COVID-19 cases to 59,747. Meanwhile, a 41-year-old Singapore Airlines (SIA) cabin crew member who was on a turnaround flight to the UAE was reported to have tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday.
Five people tested preliminarily positive for B117 strain of COVID-19
She is the fifth person on that aircraft to have tested positive. "All five have tested preliminarily positive for the more infectious B117 strain of COVID-19," said the ministry. The air stewardess departed Singapore on the January 30 flight to Dubai and returned on February 1 without disembarking from the aircraft. She also received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on February 2.
'The woman could not have been infected due to vaccination'
"As the vaccine does not contain live virus, she could not have been infected due to vaccination," said the ministry. "It is possible for one to be infected just before or after vaccination, as it takes few weeks for an individual to build up immunity after completing vaccination," it said. "She developed anosmia on February 4 but did not seek medical attention," it added.
