Teen slammed with NT$1.5 million dollar fine for playing basketball during quarantine

An 18-year-old man has been issued a fine of NT$1.5 million (US$51,500) after leaving his mobile tracking device at home and going out to play basketball after testing positive for COVID-19, according to reports today, Sunday, April 17.

New Taipei City Department of Health said that the resident of Sanxia District tested positive for COVID-19 on April 14, along with other family members and his girlfriend. The entire family was ordered to stay in home quarantine.

However, the man left his mobile phone at home late at night yesterday, Saturday, April 16, and went out to play basketball. He also uploaded a video of his activity to Instagram and other social media platforms.

New Taipei City Health Department personnel went to the man’s home today accompanied by police and confirmed the breach of epidemic control regulations. Health department officials said that the man had deliberately left his phone at home to avoid detection, and by uploading his actions to social media had blatantly challenged public authority. Therefore he was sent to compulsory quarantine in a centralized quarantine facility and issued the NT$1.5 million dollar fine.

The fine for breaching quarantine regulations in Taiwan run from a minimum NT$200, 000 to a maximum NT$2 million.

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