SINGAPORE – A man was charged in court on Thursday (April 30) after he allegedly breached his stay-home notice (SHN) on two occasions amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Based on Straits Times reports, he is the 29th person to appear in court over Covid-19-related offences after the circuit breaker started on April 7.

Apart from breaching SHNs, the alleged offenders are also accused of acts such as failing to wear a mask over their nose and mouth when outdoors, and hurling vulgarities at public servants, including safe distancing enforcement officers.

In Thursday’s case, Ong Chong Kiat, 50, allegedly left his Hougang home before going to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority Building on March 27 and 30.

He was charged under the Infectious Diseases (Covid-19 Stay Orders) Regulations 2020.

And on Wednesday, three people appeared in court for allegedly flouting Covid-19 control orders while two others were charged with harassment.

One of the five alleged offenders, Jin Yin, 55, is accused of offering massage and sexual services at the In-Style Beauty Salon in Upper Cross Street on April 10.

Businesses such as beauty salons had been ordered shut earlier under measures introduced to stem the coronavirus spread.

To date, at least three Singaporeans have been dealt with in court over offences linked to the outbreak.

On Wednesday, financial adviser Tay Chun Hsien, 22, was fined $1,500 after he left his home at around 11.30am on March 22 – about 30 minutes before his period of quarantine ended.

Last week, Alan Tham Xiang Sheng, 34, was sentenced to six weeks’ jail for breaching an SHN to have a bak kut teh meal on March 23 after a trip back from Myanmar.

He was the first person to be convicted of exposing others to the risk of infection by breaching such a notice.

On April 2, Jasvinder Singh Mehar Singh, 52, was sentenced to two months’ jail for committing a rash act and being a public nuisance.

He smashed a plate and spat on the floor of Azur restaurant at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport hotel on March 3 after a waitress told him the eatery was closed.

After that, he spat on the floor two more times and yelled “corona, corona”.

Prior to the circuit breaker, two Chinese nationals hauled to court in February were the first two people charged under the Infectious Diseases Act in relation to the outbreak.

Shi Sha, 36, and Hu Jun, 38, allegedly gave false information to Ministry of Health officials – lies which obstructed the process of contract tracing.

Shi faces four charges under the Act while her husband faces one.

The cases involving the couple and other alleged offenders are still pending.

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