Man sentenced to five years in jail for spreading COVID-19 in Vietnam

A man was sentenced to five years in prison for spreading the coronavirus in Vietnam.

Le Van Tri was found guilty of “transmitting dangerous infectious diseases” and was sentenced to prison for five years along with an $880 fine, the BBC reported. Tri was sentenced after a one-day trial. 

In July, Tri traveled across the country and did not obey a 21-day quarantine he was supposed to undergo. Along with failing to quarantine, he allegedly lied on a health form about his recent travel.

Tri’s disregard for the COVID-19 rules led to eight people becoming infected, with one dying from the virus, according to the BBC. He transmitted the virus to his family members and people in a welfare center he went to during his travel. 

Vietnam has recorded more than 530,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 13,300 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.