People wearing masks cross the road in Hong Kong, April 10, 2021. (LI GANG/XINHUA)

HONG KONG – The Department on Health said two persons were arrested Saturday for misleading investigators looking into the spread of COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong.

In a statement, the DH said it laid holding charges against a 29-year-old man for giving false or misleading information and a 31-year-old woman for failing to comply with the requirement to give information to an authroized health officer.

A Department of Health spokesman said that it is a grossly irresponsible act to conceal or provide false or misleading information to an authorized officer as this may hinder contact tracing and pose a serious threat to public health

Local media reported that the two persons were the first two patients infected with a coronavirus variant in the city.

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A spokesman for the DH said that it is a grossly irresponsible act to conceal or provide false or misleading information to an authorized officer as this may hinder contact tracing and pose a serious threat to public health.

During the Centre for Health Protection’s epidemiological investigation, the man was suspected of giving false or misleading information to an authorized officer on April 16, 2021, while the woman was suspected of failing to comply the requirement to give information to an authorized officer on April 17, 2021, according to the statement. 

The man and the woman were arrested Saturday and the case will be mentioned at Kowloon City Magistracy on May 10, 2021, it added.

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The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who violates the Prevention and Control of Disease (Disclosure of Information) Regulation.