Taiwanese man is fined £26,000 for breaking Covid home-quarantine seven times 

A Taiwanese businessman has been fined one million Taiwanese dollars (£26,000) for breaking his coronavirus quarantine seven times. 

The man, who has not been identified, was under home-quarantine at his apartment in Taichung, central Taiwan, after returning to the island from a business trip to mainland China.   

But the man violated the quarantine rules seven times within three days for a series of tasks such as to get his car repaired and to go shopping, reports TTV News.

The local government confirmed he had returned to Taiwan after a visit to mainland China on January 21 and broke quarantine rules by leaving his home several times.  

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiuyan (centre) condemned the businessman for his ‘serious violation of quarantine regulations’ and said he ‘must face severe punishment’

The man, who has not been identified, was under home-quarantine at his apartment in Taichung, central Taiwan, after returning to the island from a business trip to mainland China

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In response to new outbreaks of coronavirus on the island, all incoming passengers are required by law to quarantine at home for 14 days. 

Taichung Mayor Lu Xiuyan condemned the businessman for his ‘serious violation of quarantine regulations’ and said he ‘must face severe punishment’. 

She said he had ignored the safety of his family, neighbours and the city’s measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

‘The home quarantine regulations were deemed to be nothing, which caused a significant increase in the risk of spread of coronavirus in the community,’ the Mayor said in a statement.   

One of the businessman’s neighbours reportedly confronted him after they spotted him breaking the quarantine rules, leading to a confrontation, reports CNN.     

In addition to the one million Taiwanese dollar fine – the highest one yet handed out in the country for coronavirus violations – the man must also pay 3,000 Taiwanese dollars (£78) per day for the cost of his quarantine. 

The Taiwanese government has been providing 1,000 Taiwanese dollars (£26) per day to the public to compensate for the 14-day home quarantine period – but the businessman will not receive this following his violation.    

Secretary of Health Zeng Zizhan urged that residents of home quarantine must comply with the regulations and are not allowed to go out.  

Meanwhile, in December last year, a migrant worker from the Philippines was fined £2,650 for breaking coronavirus restrictions for eight seconds.  

The man had been quarantining in a hotel in Kaohsiung City. Under the country’s Covid-19 rules, people in quarantine are not allowed to leave their hotel rooms, regardless of the length of time.  

Taiwan has been praised for its quick response to the coronavirus pandemic and has recorded 893 cases and seven deaths  

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The man stepped out of his room into the hallway for eight seconds in an incident which was caught on CCTV.

Taiwan has largely been praised for its quick response to the coronavirus crisis and has recorded just 893 coronavirus cases and seven deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Checks on travellers arriving from Wuhan, where the epidemic started, were brought in as early as December 31. Meanwhile, foreign nationals were barred from entering the country from March 19, with a few exemptions. 

On November 18 the country announced that from December 1, all travelers arriving in or transiting through Taiwan must provide proof of testing negative for COVID-19 within three working days of arrival.