TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A member of a Lions Club International chapter in New Taipei has been caught lying about his daughter's whereabouts after he was confirmed with COVID-19, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday (May 14).

The man, who is a close associate of a former president of the Lions Club chapter in New Taipei's Wugu District, was listed as case No. 1,229 on Wednesday (May 12) after having tested positive for COVID-19. During the investigation, he refused to provide his contact history and lied that his daughter was abroad, resulting in her not being included on the quarantine list.

His daughter, who lives in Kaohsiung but visited him briefly in New Taipei this week, decided to undergo COVID-19 testing at a local hospital as a precaution, though she intentionally omitted her father's diagnosis. Despite being asymptomatic, she was confirmed as case No. 1,289, among the 26 local infections reported Friday.

CECC head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said case No. 1,229 will likely receive a hefty fine for interfering with the epidemic investigation. He added that law enforcement officials would provide details of the case and punishment at a later date.