A man from Vietnam’s Mekong Delta has been sentenced to five years in prison for spreading COVID-19 to other people, one of whom later died of the disease.

The People’s Court in Ca Mau City, which is the capital of the namesake province, on Monday condemned Le Van Tri, 28, to five years in jail for transmitting dangerous contagious diseases to others.

According to the indictment, Tri and his brother-in-law, P.V.T., had worked at Binh Dien Wholesale Market in District 8, Ho Chi Minh City since March this year.

The two headed back to Ca Mau after losing their jobs to the COVID-19 pandemic on July 2.

At a COVID-19 checkpoint in Ca Mau, an officer required Tri and T. to head straight home to file health declarations and self-quarantine.

However, they went to the provincial center for administrative procedures to apply for unemployment allowances.

After being inquired by an officer there, Tri stated he had not left the province in the past 21 days.

The two then headed home following the procedures.

On the afternoon of the same day, Tri arrived at a commune-level medical center to file a health declaration.

Competent authorities required Tri to quarantine at his home for 21 days.

During this period, Tri did not comply with pandemic prevention and control regulations.

He tested positive for COVID-19 five days later, while eight of his direct contacts were also confirmed positive for the pathogen.

One of them died of the disease following a one-month treatment.

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