A 72-year-old woman who went viral for eating out while wearing her pink COVID-19 home quarantine tag has been sentenced to one day jail and fined RM8,000. If she fails to pay the fine, she would have to serve a 6-months jail term.
She was charged for defying the Home Surveillance Order under Section 15(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 when she went to a cafe at Meru Permai 1 at around 8am on 6th July. The offence carries a punishment of not more than two years in jail, or a fine or both.
During mitigation, she told the court that her husband had passed away and she had three children. The accused also shared that this was her first offence.
The woman had returned from the United Kingdom on 4th July and was initially tested negative. However, she had to undergo home quarantine for 14 days and was required to wear the pink wristband issued by the Ministry of Health. She was later tested positive for COVID-19 after 13 days under quarantine and sent to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for treatment.
Yesterday, patient zero of the Sivagangga cluster was sentenced to 5 months in prison and fined RM12,000. He was charged four times for defying quarantine orders as he had went to 3 banks and an LHDN office on 14th July. The Sivagangga cluster has one of the fastest rate of COVID-19 transmissions in the country and has recorded a total of 45 positive cases as of yesterday.
