Pow Sing's licence held over gastric flu
Popular chicken rice eatery Pow Sing Restaurant had its licence suspended yesterday due to links to cases of gastroenteritis.
In a joint statement last night, the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Environment Agency (NEA) and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said that 29 reported gastroenteritis cases had been verified as of Tuesday, and investigations are ongoing.
The agencies were first notified on July 4 and conducted joint inspections of the restaurant's premises the next day.
They said: "Several hygiene lapses, including failure to maintain temperature records and allowing an unregistered food handler to prepare food, were observed.
"The operator had been instructed to rectify them immediately.
"On receiving further notification of another four affected persons on July 11, there is reason to suspect that there might be a continuing source of infection on the premises."
NEA said that the restaurant at Serangoon Gardens was required to dispose of all ready-to-eat, thawed and perishable food items.
It also has to conduct thorough cleaning and sanitising of its premises, including equipment and toilets, and review and rectify the lapses in food preparation processes identified.
AVA has collected food samples as part of the investigation and laboratory tests are ongoing.
MOH has collected stool samples from the affected people and the restaurant's food handlers have been sent for stool screening.
The authorities will continue to monitor the situation.
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