Phan Van Hoa listens to police in Ninh Thuan Province read a detention warrant for investigation, August 19, 2021. Police photo
A central Vietnam court on Saturday sentenced a local man to 30 months in prison for breaking quarantine rules and spreading the new coronavirus to four other people.
Phan Van Hoa, 39, was found guilty of “spreading infectious diseases dangerous to humans” by the court in Phan Rang – Thap Cham city, Ninh Thuan province.
On July 6, Hoa brought a truck back from Ho Chi Minh City, which had become the epicenter of the fourth wave of Covid-19 in Vietnam, to the city, which is also his hometown.
In accordance with the regulations, all people returning from areas affected by Covid-19 had to submit health declarations and self-isolate for two weeks.
However, Hoa did not play by the rules. Instead, he visited different places in the city and attended a commemoration of the anniversary of the death, where he made direct contact with many people.
Eight days after returning from HCMC, Hoa developed Covid-19 symptoms of fever and sore throat. Tests confirmed that he had been infected with the new coronavirus.
Authorities tracked and isolated everyone he came into contact with. Four of them subsequently contracted the virus.
Hoa was charged after recovering from the illness.
Vietnam was affected by the fourth wave of Covid-19 at the end of April. Since then, more than 742,000 cases have been recorded in 62 of the 63 localities of the country.
