A man from central Vietnam has been fined for going fishing during home quarantine for prevention of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic.

The People’s Committee in Tam Thanh Commune, Phu Ninh District, Quang Nam Province on Monday imposed a VND2 million (US$85) fine upon L.V.H., 26, for violating regulations on epidemic prevention.

H. traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to his hometown in Tam Thanh Commune on March 25 and made a commitment to local authorities that he would undergo home quarantine for 14 days as a precaution, as the southern metropolis is considered an epicenter of COVID-19 in Vietnam.

With 53 cases confirmed to date, Ho Chi Minh City has the second highest number of COVID-19 patients in the country after Hanoi, which has recorded 107 cases as yet.

Quang Nam authorities require that anyone returning or coming to the province from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City be isolated either at home or in collective zones to stall any possible community transmission. 

On April 5, the eleventh day of his home quarantine period, H. left his house and went fishing with four other men in the neighborhood.

He was eventually caught by competent agencies.

Aside from the VND2 million penalty, H. was also fined for using electricity to catch the fish.

Although the exact value of the fining was not announced, illegal electrofishing is punishable by a fine worth VND3-5 million ($128-214), according to Vietnamese law.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 1.34 million people and killed more than 64,600 globally as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has announced 245 COVID-19 patients so far, with 122 having recovered.

No fatality linked to the disease has been reported in the country to date.

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