Inside Coburg ‘rice feeding’ dinner linked to two coronavirus cases

The restaurant which hosted a ‘rice feeding’ dinner party linked to the latest virus outbreak said it was only the venue’s second-ever function.

A Coburg restaurant owner who hosted a ‘rice feeding’ dinner party linked to the latest COVID outbreak said it was only the second-ever function he’s held at the venue.

An unknowingly-infected Holiday Inn worker attended the event at 426 Sydney Rd, where six others, including a three-year-old, have also tested positive.

The restaurant owner, who asked not to be identified, said he has only leased the site since December and hosted two private functions there.

He said the party was a ‘rice feeding’ dinner – a celebration for babies eating their first solid food.

About 30 people attended and were spread out over 10 tables, the restaurant owner said.

He said he found out on February 9 of the first confirmed positive case and said he was “shocked”.

“It was a very happy night, very exciting for the community coming together then becoming after a few days, very sad,” he said.

Two virus cases were linked to the function centre in Coburg.

He and two other staff members who were working on the night, as well as all guests, were told to isolate at home for 14 days.

He said he has twice tested negative and has been in constant contact with health officials who had been visiting his house every day.

The worker — one of four Holiday Inn staff to test positive as part of the outbreak — tested negative on February 7, the day after the party.

But health authorities have since deemed the result a weak positive.

The Sydney Rd venue is now getting deep-cleaned, which has put it out of action temporarily.

“It’s so frustrating, it was our second event there, we have to cancel multiple bookings because we are closed for cleaning,” the owner said.