A person passes by Heaven Supermarket bar, which has been closed, in Beijing on June 9. Photo: CFP

Beijing authorities have filed a criminal case against the owner of Heaven Supermarket Bar, which becomes the epicenter of a new wave of outbreaks in the capital, for impeding the prevention of infectious diseases. The license of the bar was also revoked, and it was listed as seriously breaching the law and conducting dishonest acts.

The recent outbreak was triggered by a customer of the bar last week who had not taken a test for 14 days prior. Beijing has been asking all its residents to undergo a nucleic acid test every two or three days, and if not, the health code will send notifications. People are also required to show their health codes before they enter any public places. 

According to the city's health authorities, there were 287 COVID-19 cases linked to the bar as of 3 pm on Tuesday.

Before this, Beijing had eased COVID-19 restrictions as the last outbreak was ebbing away since the beginning of the month. 

Beijing's public security bureau said on Tuesday that it has begun a criminal investigation of the owner of the bar for impeding the prevention of infectious diseases, as the bar failed to conduct COVID-19 prevention measures. 

The market supervision department of Chaoyang district, where most cases involved in this outbreak live and the bar is located, has revoked the license of the Heaven Supermarket Bar and listed it as seriously breaching the law and conducting dishonest acts.

Apart from the bar owner, Beijing police also filed five other criminal cases, including a bargoer who wandered freely from one district to another, even when told to quarantine at home.

Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Monday inspected the bars involved in the outbreak, urging a quick response in epidemic controls and epidemiological probes, and speeding up of personnel transfers and quarantine, to curb the resurgence as soon as possible.

A total of 700 restaurants in Sanlitun, where the bar is located, suspended dine-in services and 70 bars had closed as of Monday in a bid to halt the transmission. 

Meng Rui, an official from Chaoyang district, said on Tuesday that Beijing is suspending operation of all bars, internet cafes, KTV rooms and other entertainment venues, and it plans to examine their COVID-19 prevention measures. 

Beijing authorities vowed to conduct a sweeping examination of entertainment venues, including KTV rooms, bars and night clubs in the city, and to close any places that failed to live up to the health standards.

Global Times