Two women and one man sentenced for violating Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation and Prevention and Control of Disease (Disclosure of Information) Regulation respectively
******************************************************************************************
A 68-year-old woman was earlier issued with a compulsory quarantine order. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine on April 3, 2022. She was charged with contravening sections 32(1) and 32(3) of Cap. 599A and was sentenced to 40 hours' community service by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today.
A 49-year-old woman was earlier confirmed as testing positive for COVID-19 and was issued with an isolation order. Before the end of the isolation period, she left the place of isolation on September 9, 2022. She was charged with contravening sections 32(1) and 32(3) of Cap. 599A and was sentenced to 80 hours' community service by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today.
Also, a 51-year-old man was earlier identified as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19. During the epidemiological investigation by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health (DH), the man provided false or misleading information about his movements and contacts, and subsequently failed to comply with the requirement to provide information to an authorised officer on January 2, 2022. He was charged with one count of contravening sections 3(4) and (5) and one count of contravening section 3(2) of Cap. 599D. He was sentenced by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today to a total fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for two weeks, suspended for two years, with the sentences to run concurrently for the charges.
Under Cap. 599A, a person shall not, knowing that he or she is a contact or is infected with a specified infectious disease, expose other persons to the risk of infection by the person's presence or conduct in any public conveyance or any street, public place, place of entertainment or assembly, club or hotel. Breaching the Cap. 599A is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for six months.
Under Cap. 599D, it is a criminal offence for any person to provide false or misleading information to authorised officers or fail to comply with the requirement of an authorised officer to provide information. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for six months.
A spokesman for the DH said the sentences send a clear message to the community that it is a criminal offence to expose the public to the risk of infection by leaving the designated place of quarantine or place of isolation without permission during the period of quarantine or isolation. Moreover, it is a grossly irresponsible act to conceal or provide false or misleading information to an authorised officer, as this may hinder the contact tracing process and pose a serious threat to public health. The Government will not tolerate such a violation and reminds the public again to comply with the relevant regulations.
The spokesman reiterated that co-operation and support by members of the public play a critical role in the anti-epidemic work. They must strictly observe relevant requirements in order to fight the pandemic and minimise the risk of transmission in the community.
Ends/Thursday, November 10, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:15
Issued at HKT 18:15
NNNN