China: Thousands arrested for coronavirus-related crimes

Around 5,800 people have been arrested in China for virus-related crimes including health workers, selling defective medical equipment, and lying about their travel history.

A customer beat to death another customer who asked him to wear a mask in a supermarket. Another person was arrested for stabbing a health inspector when checking temperatures. A person deliberately hit medical workers with a car.

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Reuters reported that some have also been accused of crimes of embezzling money collected from fundraisers to help coronavirus patients, selling defective medical equipment, and lying about their travel history or health condition.

“From January to July, 5,797 people were arrested and 6,755 were prosecuted,” the Supreme People’s Procuratorate said in a statement Thursday.

However, the statement does not mention how many people were still in detention.

Coronavirus has been controlled in China to a great extent. The country has made wearing a mask mandatory in supermarkets, cinemas, or on public transport, and many choose to wear one while outdoors as well, as a safeguard against the virus.

Earlier this month, China has sent a team of seven health officials to Hong Kong as the city reported a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.

These seven health officials are the first members of a 60-person team that will conduct coronavirus testing.

However, some local councilors raised concerns that China may collect DNA samples for surveillance purposes. Hong Kong’s government has denied the concerns.