Four persons were sentenced by the Magistrates' Courts today (November 29) for violating the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A) (the Regulation).
The first case involved a 70-year-old man who was earlier issued with a compulsory quarantine order. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, he left the place of quarantine on April 22, 2022. He was charged with contravening sections 32(1) and 32(3) of the Regulation and was sentenced to imprisonment for seven days, suspended for 12 months by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today.
The second case involved a 66-year-old man, who was earlier issued with a compulsory quarantine order. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, he left the place of quarantine on May 7 and 8, 2022. He was charged with two counts of contravening sections 32(1) and 32(3) of the Regulation and was sentenced to imprisonment for 14 days, suspended for 12 months, for each of the two charges, with the sentences to run concurrently, by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today.
The third case involved a 52-year-old woman, who earlier tested 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 August 13, 2022. She was charged with contravening sections 32(1) and 32(3) of the Regulation. She was sentenced to imprisonment for 14 days, suspended for 12 months and was fined $5,000 by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today.
The fourth case involved a 41-year-old man, who earlier tested positive for COVID-19 and was issued with an isolation order. Before the end of the isolation period, he left the place of isolation and removed his electronic wristband on August 15, 2022. He was charged with contravening sections 23(1), 23(4), 23(5) and 32(1) and 32(3) of the Regulation. He was sentenced to imprisonment for seven days, suspended for 12 months and was fined $10,000 by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today.
Under section 32 of the Regulation, 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. Under section 23 of the Regulation, a person under isolation must comply with the conditions of the isolation order, including wearing the electronic wristband and refraining from cutting it during the specified isolation period. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for six months. 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.
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