A Hanoi woman ordered to self-quarantine at home in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was caught sneaking out of her residence and attempting to board a flight to the United Kingdom.

V.T.H., a 25-year-old resident in Long Bien District, was attempting to flee the country through Noi Bai International Airport on Wednesday morning, said Nguyen Manh Ha, chairman of Long Bien District, adding that that the woman’s home-quarantine period was set to end in just two days.

H. had already boarded a UK-bound flight when local police officers were made aware of the incident and promptly escorted the woman from the aircraft shortly before its departure.

She is expected to be sent to a centralized quarantine camp for an additional 14 days, chairman Ha said, adding that she also faces an administrative fine of VND5-10 million (US$213-427).

Chairman of the Hanoi administration Nguyen Duc Chung previously ordered competent authorities to strictly monitor individuals who are under home quarantine after reports that many potential COVID-19 carriers have been disregarding their mandated isolation.

He also tasked the municipal Department of Police and the Department of Justice with imposing strict penalties on such violators and ordered the city's police department to initiate legal proceedings against those ignoring the rules and putting others in danger.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 468,300 and killed more than 21,100 globally as of Thursday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has confirmed 148 COVID-19 cases, with 17 having already been discharged from the hospital. No deaths related to the disease have been recorded in the country.

Hanoi has so far confirmed 48 cases of the virus.

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