Covid-19 spreader gets two-year suspended sentence

A Vietnam Airlines flight attendant in Ho Chi Minh City (HCM City) was handed down a two-year suspended jail term for spreading the novel coronavirus to three others.

Duong Tan Hau, 29, was convicted of “spreading dangerous infectious diseases” at the one-day trial at the People’s Court of HCM City, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security said in a statement released on March 30.

Duong Tan Hau at the HCM City People's Court. Photo: Tuyet Mai

Hau breached the country’s 14-day quarantine regulations and met 46 other people after serving on a flight from Japan to Vietnam on November 14, 2021.

He came into direct contact with other people during the quarantine period and according to the indictment, he visited cafes, restaurants and attended English classes while he was supposed to be on self-isolation at home. He tested positive for Covid-19 on November 18, 2021.

Hau’s violations resulted in the quarantine and testing of around 2,000 other people in the city and incur a cost of VND4.48 billion (US$194,192), including testing and quarantining fees.

In court, Hau confessed his offense, but said he spread the disease unintentionally. Therefore, he believed he should not have to be incriminated.

"I was too confident of not being infected after testing negative twice. I’ve seen my mistake and would like to apologize to the three others infected by me and the entire community," Hau said.

The 29-year-old man is the first person in the country to go on trial for violating Covid-19 rules. Two others, a man in Mekong Delta’s Vinh Long province who illegally entered Vietnam and a woman in northern Hai Duong province who did not declare her travel itinerary nor who she came in contact with, are also being probed on the same charge.

Vietnam Airlines has a dedicated crew quarantine facility in HCM City where flight attendants and pilots stay for four days after returning from a foreign assignment. Crew members are also required to take two Covid-19 tests with an interval of 72 hours between them on their return and if both are negative, they are allowed to undergo a two week isolation period at home.

Vietnam Airlines has apologized for the actions of the flight attendant and says it has tightened quarantine protocols at its dedicated isolation facility.