Man Spreads COVID-19 In Vietnam; Faces 5 Years Of Imprisonment

After getting the disease in a large metropolis and bringing it back to his rural community, a man in Vietnam was sentenced to five years in prison for breaking strict COVID-19 quarantine restrictions in the country. COVID-19 has been linked to eight illnesses and one death as a result of the man's conduct.

Le Van Tri, a 28-year-old man from the province of Ca Mau, was convicted this week of "spreading dangerous infectious diseases," according to the state-run Viet Nam News and Australia's ABC News.

Tri allegedly traveled by motorcycle from Ca Mau to Ho Chi Minh City and back in early July, violating Vietnam's strict coronavirus regulations. Travelers across regions are required to self-quarantine for 21 days, which Tri did not do. Tri is also accused of lying to authorities about his trip history.

Since the outbreak began, Ca Mau has documented just 191 cases of covid-19 and two deaths from the disease, making Tri's actions all the more appalling. According to Yahoo News, Tri was fined $880 in addition to his five-year prison sentence.

Until recently, Vietnam had fared pretty well during the pandemic, with a low case count and a negligible death rate, thanks in part to effective public health interventions. Throughout much of 2020 and 2021, Vietnam reported fewer than ten new cases per day. Thanks to mass testing and contact tracing, they were able to keep regional outbreaks under control.

Unfortunately, instances began to appear in Ho Chi Minh City in late May 2021, and the country has yet to contain the most current outbreak. On Monday alone, Vietnam recorded 12,481 new cases and 311 new deaths. Since the outbreak, the country has seen approximately 537,000 cases and 13,385 deaths.

While Vietnam was once one of just a few countries to pursue a so-called covid-zero strategy, the government recently rejected it in favor of attempting to "live with the virus." However, officials warn that the government will not eliminate the COVID-19 limitations until September 15, as it tries to boost up immunization efforts. According to Viet Nam News, Ho Chi Minh City has been under strict lockdown since August 23 and has recorded over 241,000 people since May.