Taiwan fines coronavirus patient $10,000 for 'hiding' illness

Source: Nikkei Asian Review

KENSAKU IHARA, Nikkei staff writer
JANUARY 26, 2020 07:10 JST

TAIPEI -- A man infected with the new coronavirus will pay a penalty of 300,000 New Taiwan dollars ($10,000) for concealing his illness after traveling to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, Taiwanese health authorities said Saturday.

The man is one of three people as of Saturday in Taiwan who had been diagnosed as suffering from the potentially deadly infection, which can cause pneumonia.

He tested positive for the virus Wednesday at a hospital in the southern city of Kaohsiung, where the fine was announced, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.

The penalty shows President Tsai Ing-wen's government is willing to enforce quarantine rules against the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 1,300 people and killed over 40 in mainland China. The ongoing Lunar New Year holiday is a particularly risky time for infection, since many Taiwanese people employed on the mainland return home to spend time with family.

Read more: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Virus-outbreak/Taiwan-fines-coronavirus-patient-10-000-for-hiding-illness