Coronavirus: Hong Kong police arrest three more people for submitting fake Covid-19 results to authorities as city logs 672 new cases
- A paramedic, 38, and his barista girlfriend, 35, are among three arrested
- Police say three are suspected of uploading RAT results that did not belong to them
Hong Kong police have arrested three more people for submitting fake positive Covid-19 tests to the authorities, while the city’s health minister has pledged to verify all such results unless the city sees a significant rise in daily infections.
Two men and a woman, aged 24 to 38, were arrested in Chai Wan and Sai Kung on Thursday. Among them was a 38-year-old paramedic, who was also arrested for fraud, and his girlfriend.
Chief Inspector Cheng Chak-yan, of the police force’s cybersecurity and technology crime bureau, on Friday said the three were suspected of uploading the results of a rapid antigen test (RAT) that did not belong to them in March and April to obtain isolation orders issued by the government.
Cheng said police believed they got the positive results from screenshots on the internet, or submitted old positive RAT tests. Police seized four phones, three tablets and a laptop in the operation.
“Such acts are very selfish and irresponsible, making it difficult for the government to get accurate information and they increase the pressure on citizens in facing the pandemic,” he told a press briefing.
Cheng said police would not tolerate violators of the law and would continue cooperating with other departments to fight Covid-19.
The 38-year-old paramedic was arrested for fraud as he tried to use a misleading positive RAT test result to obtain a recovery QR code. His girlfriend, 35, a barista, was also arrested for exposing others to infection.