26 taken ill after eating at Eng’s Heritage at Northpoint City
Eng's Heritage at Northpoint City had its licence suspended from Wednesday until further notice, following a gastroenteritis incident last week.
Twenty-six people were reported to have suffered gastroenteritis symptoms after consuming food prepared by the restaurant between Jan 7 and Jan 9, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a joint statement.
The statement said five people are currently hospitalised and in stable condition, with one additional case discharged.
Eng's Heritage is a wonton noodle restaurant which also serves Teochew-style ngoh hiang (minced meat rolls) and buns. It has five outlets in Singapore, including the one at Northpoint City.
Gastroenteritis can lead to diarrhoea or vomiting and is caused by viruses, bacteria or bacterial toxins.
"All food handlers working in the suspended premises are required to reattend and pass the basic food hygiene course before they can resume work as food handlers," said MOH and SFA.
The authorities said the appointed food hygiene officers working at the suspended premises are also required to reattend and pass the food hygiene officer course before resuming work.
Eng's Heritage is required to clean and sanitise its premises, including equipment and utensils.
When contacted by The Straits Times, chief executive of Eng's Heritage, Mr Thomas Hong, said: "I would like to apologise sincerely to all the affected customers and help them with their medical bills if they are willing to reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram.
"We've also launched an internal investigation to identify the cause of the incident and will be taking full responsibility for the issue."
Mr Hong said MOH first informed him about the gastroenteritis incident on Monday, after seven people had fallen ill.
"We were surprised by the news as we've always placed emphasis on cleanliness in our kitchens," he said.
SFA reminded food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, adding that it will not hesitate to take action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
