Police in China have detained a growing number of people for defying quarantine measures or deliberately concealing that they had traveled to areas stricken by the coronavirus.
In the northwestern province of Qinghai, police say a migrant worker surnamed Gou is being investigated for suspected “endangering public safety” by “deliberately concealing” his journey to Wuhan.
Gou returned from Wuhan to Hanshuigou village last month, but fabricated his itinerary and return date to village authorities, police said. He also concealed his symptoms of fever and coughing from investigators and actively got in close touch with neighbors, it added.
“What’s particularly abominable is that Gou also concealed his son’s return with him from Wuhan. His son has also been out and about multiple times and in close contact with crowds,” the statement said.
Both Gou and his son have been confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus, and are under quarantine, according to the statement.
They have been accused of breaking China’s criminal law and infectious disease law, the police said.
Over the past week, similar cases have also been reported in the provinces of Jiangxi, Yunnan, Guangxi and Jiangsu, according to state media.