COVID-19: 15 restaurants closed in Saudi city of Jeddah for flouting hygiene rules

Other food outlets warned; aim is to ensure safety of food and public health

Dubai: Fifteen restaurants have been closed for violating hygiene rules and slaughtering inside the restaurants.

The step was taken by the Jeddah Municipality’s General Administration of Slaughterhouses and Markets Department after the restaurants were found committing several violations.

Their violations included not obtaining a licence, slaughtering inside the restaurant and non-adherence to hygiene rules and accumulation of waste. In addition, workers at the restaurants did not hold health cards.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Zahrani, undersecretary of the sub-municipalities, said the closure of the restaurants aims to enforce them to correct their status and complete regular procedures.

He pointed out that other restaurants and food outlets have been warned after authorities monitored violations, while 50 sheep were confiscated.

“The move aims to complement preventive and precautionary measures taken by the government for the health and safety of citizens as well as residents to meet the needs of consumers,” Al Zahrani said.

He said the Jeddah Governorate Secretariat has intensified its efforts during Eid Al Fitr on food facilities to ensure food safety, implement precautionary measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Al Zahrani stressed the secretariat’s keenness to provide its services to all residents in the Jeddah governorate, as well as to control all shops and outlets to ensure the security, safety and health of community members.