TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The city of Taichung has fined a woman NT$150,000 (US$5,000) for lying about wearing a hazmat suit after testing positive for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).
On Monday (June 15), Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) reported that two Taiwan citizens who returned from Bangladesh over the weekend tested positive for COVID-19. Taiwan's latest cases that day were a married couple, including a businessman in his 50s (case No. 444) and his wife, who is in her 40s (case No. 445).
The woman told disease prevention officials that both she and her husband had worn a mask and hazmat suit on the flight to Taiwan. However, during a press conference on Tuesday (June 16), CECC spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) told media that surveillance camera footage of the couple disembarking from the plane showed they were, in fact, only wearing masks.
Chuang warned that individuals who lie to officials about test results or personal information could face fines of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000. After discussing the matter with the CECC, the Taichung Health Bureau announced on Thursday (June 18) it would fine the woman NT$150,000 for lying — in order to deter others from providing such false information in the future, reported UDN.
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) said on Thursday the biggest issue was not whether the couple wore protective clothing, but that they were dishonest to disease prevention officials, which raised the risk of infection for other people. Lu also suggested the central government should require that protection standards and equipment are required for all passengers on flights from high-risk countries, such as wearing masks and protective clothing, to reduce the risk of infection to others onboard.
Passengers who shared the flight with the couple said they were not wearing hazmat suits and were frequently coughing. One of their fellow passengers, a man his 60s who was asymptomatic on arrival, on Thursday (June 18) tested positive for coronavirus.
As he also worked in Bangladesh, it is not yet known whether the man contracted the disease while living abroad or during the flight.
