Woman sentenced for breaching compulsory quarantine order

     A 28-year-old woman was sentenced by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (August 9) to imprisonment for six days, suspended for 12 months, for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E).

     The woman was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that she must conduct quarantine at a hotel for 21 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine on November 6, 2021, without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. She was charged with contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today to imprisonment for six days, suspended for 12 months.

     Breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the regulations. As of today, a total of 256 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to 14 weeks or a fine of up to $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.