A man has been barred from overseas travel after defying quarantine orders and refusing to pay a fine, Ministry of Justice officials said yesterday.
The Administrative Enforcement Agency said that Kuo Fu-wen (郭富文) is the first Taiwanese to be denied travel rights because of COVID-19 rules after he returned to Taiwan on Feb. 7 from China, a day after the government imposed mandatory 14-day home quarantine on all travelers returning from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, to help prevent the virus’ spread.
Kuo told immigration officers that he lived in New Taipei City’s Sinjhuang District (新莊), but he was listed as missing after he could not be located, the ministry said, adding that it was actually the address of his elder brother.
The brother told police officers that Kuo had been out of touch with the family for many years, it said.
When called on the phone number he provided, Kuo gave false information to police, a borough warden and New Taipei City health workers, it said.
Kuo told police: “I am in good health, so why should I stay at home in quarantine?” the ministry said.
After making his name public, Kuo was found at a hotel in Taoyuan, the ministry said, adding that he told police he was at the hotel to apply for a job.
Kuo was fined NT$100,000 (US$3,307), but refused to pay, so the case was forwarded to the ministry, which yesterday barred him from overseas travel, it said.
In related news, the Taoyuan Department of Health yesterday fined a woman NT$700,000 for breaching home quarantine.
The woman returned from Macau on March 1, but Taoyuan police said they found that she had left her residence twice, on March 13 and Monday last week.
Separately, the Criminal Investigation Bureau yesterday reminded people not to circulate false information regarding the COVID-19 situation after a false obituary for vice president-elect William Lai (賴清德) was shared on social media.
The bogus obituary was produced in China, the bureau said, citing Internet protocol information.
It claimed that “Lai passed away on March 25 at a Taipei hospital due to infection by the coronavirus,” the bureau said.
People should not share this message or others that have been proven false, as recent legislative amendments mean that violators can be fined up to NT$3 million, the bureau said.
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