McDonald's has suspended operations until May. 4, 2020 at the direction of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

This comes after seven employees, who had worked at nine different outlets, were confirmed with Covid-19.

The cluster first emerged on Apr. 12.

Here are the nine affected outlets:

• McDonald’s LIDO
• McDonald’s Parklane
• McDonald’s Forum Galleria
• McDonald’s Geylang East Central
• McDonald's Changi Airport T3
• McDonald’s Changi Airport T2
• McDonald’s Pasir Ris Central
• McDonald’s Pasir Ris Sports Complex
• McDonald’s Shell Tampines (Drive-Thru store)

In a statement to Mothership, McDonald's said the affected employees were quarantined in medical facilities immediately.

The relevant restaurants were also closed for deep-cleaning as soon as the fast food chain was notified of the cases.

They have remain closed since, and will remain so until further notice.

McDonald's has also provided the case details for all seven cases:

Employee 1: The employee works at McDonald’s LIDO. Their last day at work was on April 2, 2020. The employee was also attached to work at the McDonald’s Parklane restaurant for one day on March 30. The employee visited the doctor on April 3 for a sore throat and fever, and was given a five-day MC. The employee visited the doctor again on April 8 and was sent for a swab test.

Employee 2: The employee works at McDonald’s LIDO. Their last day at work was on April 3, 2020. They had rest days from April 4-6. The employee visited the doctor on April 7 for joint pains and muscle aches.

Employee 3: The employee works at McDonald’s Parklane. Their last day at work was on April 8, 2020. The employee was also attached to work at the McDonald’s LIDO restaurant on March 30, and April 1, 2, 3 and 6. The employee visited the doctor on April 9 for a fever.

Employee 4: The employee works at McDonald’s Forum Galleria. Their last day at work was on April 8, 2020. The employee is a roommate of Employee 3. Although Employee 4 was not unwell, the company requested the employee to go for a swab test on April 10.

Employee 5: The employee works at McDonald’s Geylang East Central. Their last day at work was on April 8, 2020. The employee visited the doctor on April 9 for a fever and was referred to the hospital for a swab test.

Employee 6: The employee works at McDonald's Changi Airport T3. Their last day at work was on April 10, 2020. The employee was on leave on April 11 and 12. They visited the doctor on April 13 for a cough and was sent for a swab test.

Employee 7: The employee works at McDonald’s Changi Airport T2 until the restaurant closed for business on April 1. Thereafter, the employee was attached to McDonald’s Pasir Ris Central, Pasir Ris Sports Complex, and McDonald’s Shell Tampines (Drive-Thru store). The employee's last day at work was on April 10, 2020. The employee visited the doctor on April 13 for a cough, and was given a five-day MC. The employee was sent for a swab test on April 15.

Adjusted to "stay in position" principle

In the same statement, McDonald's explained that as a "common retail practice", it is necessary to have a base level of employees run a restaurant.

Sometimes, the employees may be deployed to other restaurants to provide support.

McDonald's said that all precautionary measures were in place during the outbreak, including temperature-taking, enforcement of personal hygiene, safe distancing, and mask-wearing, which started in early April.

However, since the confirmation of the first few cases among its employees, McDonald's has adjusted to stopping all people movement with a “stay in position” principle, the statement said.

This adjustment was made before the relevant MOH advisory was issued, McDonald's added.

The fast food chain said that they are, and will continue to be in close contact with MOH to support them in anyway they can.

Top image via Ming on Google Maps