Seoul Garden outlet in Tampines Mall visited by latest Covid-19 patient closed for disinfection

SINGAPORE – The Seoul Garden outlet in Tampines Mall, which was visited by Singapore’s latest Covid-19 case in the community, has been closed “until further notice”.

When The Straits Times visited the restaurant at about 10.50am on Friday (Nov 27), a Seoul Garden employee was putting up a notice that read: “We are closed. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

The worker told ST it will be closed “until further notice”, as the restaurant was preparing for disinfection. It was last open on Thursday.

ST understands that it was waiting for an external company to disinfect the premises, and that an officer from the National Environment agency had spoken to the restaurant’s staff.

At about 11.20am, workers from cleaning services firm Octo-Jet entered the premises, and cleaning started at around noon.

“After disinfection, we will wash the crockery again, wipe the tables, sweep and mop,” said the restaurant’s manager.

Some customers arrived just before lunch at Seoul Garden, but they walked off after seeing the notice.

On Thursday night, the Health Ministry (MOH) said that a Singaporean, who works as a service engineer, had dinner with 12 family members at Seoul Garden last Saturday before he developed a fever and sore throat on Monday. That was when he was tested for Covid-19.

The Master Systems Marine employee’s job entails going on board vessels docked at Marina South Pier and West Coast Pier for servicing and maintenance of ships’ navigational systems.

He became Singapore’s first locally transmitted Covid-19 case in 16 days.