Hong Kong police arrest 3 men accused of undermining anti-Covid efforts, 1 suspect said to have incited bomb threats
- One suspect, 28, accused of deliberately leaving behind used tissues at different places while infected with virus
- Another suspect, 27, suspected of inciting others to bomb testing facilities and attack staff members
Hong Kong police have arrested three men accused of undermining the city’s anti-pandemic efforts, with one suspect allegedly inciting residents to bomb Covid-19 community testing centres.
Among the suspects is a 28-year-old man accused of knowingly exposing others to Covid-19 while he was infected, according to the force. That offence carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a HK$5,000 (US$639) fine under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation.
Superintendent Wilson Tam Wai-shun, of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau, said an investigation suggested the man had violated a quarantine order by visiting different places such as restaurants while he was carrying the virus.
He added that the suspect was also accused of deliberately leaving behind used tissues at the places he visited, exposing others to the risk of transmission – an act Tam described as “irresponsible” and “selfish”.
The case came to light after the man allegedly posted about his behaviour on a social media platform and officers from the bureau came across the posts during a regular cyber patrol.
The man tested positive for the coronavirus via a rapid antigen kit on February 23. The Centre for Health Protection confirmed his case on February 27, according to the force.
