KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian court jailed an Indian national for five months on Thursday (Aug 13) for violating a home quarantine order, leading to dozens of new COVID-19 infections, the Bernama state news agency reported.
The 57-year-old, who resides in Malaysia and owns a restaurant in the northern state of Kedah, pleaded guilty to four charges of violating a mandated 14-day home quarantine order upon his return from India in July.
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He was also fined RM12,000 (US$2,864) by the Alor Setar Magistrate's Court, which held a special hearing at a Kedah hospital where the accused was undergoing treatment, Bernama reported.
Authorities had earlier said the man, who initially tested negative for the coronavirus, had left his home during the quarantine period to visit his restaurant.
After a second test came back positive, dozens of people, including the man's family members, restaurant workers and customers, were found to have been infected.
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A total of 45 cases linked to the cluster have since been reported in at least three Malaysian states.
Malaysia has gradually lifted strict lockdown measures since May after successfully containing the spread of the pandemic, but has warned that curbs may be reimposed after more than a dozen new clusters emerged in recent weeks.
FAQ: How can workers travel between Singapore and Malaysia and what are the COVID-19 protocols in place?
The Southeast Asian country has reported 9,129 infections, including 125 deaths.
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian court jailed an Indian national for five months on Thursday (Aug 13) for violating a home quarantine order, leading to dozens of new COVID-19 infections, the Bernama state news agency reported.
The 57-year-old, who resides in Malaysia and owns a restaurant in the northern state of Kedah, pleaded guilty to four charges of violating a mandated 14-day home quarantine order upon his return from India in July.
Advertisement
Advertisement
READ: Malaysia in talks with China over potential MOU for early access to COVID-19 vaccine: Science and technology minister
He was also fined RM12,000 (US$2,864) by the Alor Setar Magistrate's Court, which held a special hearing at a Kedah hospital where the accused was undergoing treatment, Bernama reported.
Authorities had earlier said the man, who initially tested negative for the coronavirus, had left his home during the quarantine period to visit his restaurant.
After a second test came back positive, dozens of people, including the man's family members, restaurant workers and customers, were found to have been infected.
Advertisement
Advertisement
A total of 45 cases linked to the cluster have since been reported in at least three Malaysian states.
Malaysia has gradually lifted strict lockdown measures since May after successfully containing the spread of the pandemic, but has warned that curbs may be reimposed after more than a dozen new clusters emerged in recent weeks.
FAQ: How can workers travel between Singapore and Malaysia and what are the COVID-19 protocols in place?
The Southeast Asian country has reported 9,129 infections, including 125 deaths.
