Authorities in the northern central province of Thanh Hoa fined up to 21 people VND90 million (USD3,913) between January 31 and February 7 for publishing fake news about the disease. 

The rumours have worried the public and called workers to go on strike. Many people used this as a way to attract likes and comments to serve their online businesses.

Two residents in Thach Thanh District had to pay a combined fine of VND22.5 million (USD978.23) for saying that eight people in the district had been tested positive for the virus and that others were in isolation due to being infected.

Mai Thi Hien, 30, who works at Venus Footwear Company called on her colleagues to go on strike to avoid the epidemic. She was fined VND1.5 million (USD65.21).

A Facebooker in the southern central province of Binh Dinh was fined VND10 million for saying that the deadly virus had affected the locality.

A Facebooker in Quang Tri who circulated a rumour that a Chinese tourist had died in Danang City from coronavirus had to pay a fine of VND10 million.

Earlier, some people in Haiphong City, Kon Tum, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Bac Ninh provinces were also fined for the same violations.

According to Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung false information needs to be minimised and violators should be strictly dealt with so that the public can be well-informed of the situation. Dtinews

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