Executive Councilor Lam Ching-choi talks to China Daily during an interview on Tuesday. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Executive Councilor Lam Ching-choi strongly condemned people who breached compulsory home quarantine orders — saying they should be severely punished and even jailed as a deterrent. 

He is also disappointed that some Hong Kong people traveled abroad in February and March when the coronavirus was already seriously affecting overseas countries, with some of them getting infected and spreading it after they returned home. 

They have not only broken the law, but could also harm themselves, their family members and society at large

Lam Ching-choi, executive councilor

On Tuesday, the government said 24 people had been sent to quarantine centers after breaching quarantine orders since March 19, with 10 of them being intercepted by police and sent to the quarantine camps on Tuesday. According to news reports, some left their homes to dine in restaurants, while others removed or damaged electronic wristbands monitoring their whereabouts. 

One of those arrested for such violations appeared in court on Monday to face charges of submitting a false address for home quarantine to the health authority. He was refused bail and awaits trial after denying the charge. 

“These people are utterly irresponsible,” Lam said. “They have not only broken the law, but could also harm themselves, their family members and society at large. Many healthcare workers feel very angry because they are fighting a battle with the coronavirus, with their lives at risk. 

“The government will act sternly and take them to quarantine centres without warning. They should be prosecuted and imprisoned,” he added. 

The maximum penalty for breaking a quarantine order is a fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,225) and six months’ imprisonment.

Lam lamented the difficulties in containing the virus brought about by Hong Kong people’s fondness for travel who often go to other countries for long periods of time. 

After tighter quarantine methods were adopted on March 19, he believes Hong Kong should be able to contain imported cases. What angered him most is that people who were infected rushed back to Hong Kong from their vacations before March 19. They then infected their close contacts. 

This included two groups of people — Hong Kong students studying abroad and residents traveling overseas. 

Lam said it was understandable that students wanted to return to the city. “But what were the holidaygoers thinking, and why did they travel abroad during this time? I am very disappointed in them. Did they think the virus would soon disappear or that foreign countries were safer than Hong Kong? 

“At first, there were not many confirmed cases in other countries. This did not reflect the true situation as not many viral tests were conducted. As a result, many holidaygoers were infected in Europe.” 

Lam cited information from the travel industry that 4,000 tour groups involving 160,000 people scheduled for departure from mid- March were canceled after the government hoisted the red travel alert.

He added: “Hong Kong people lack the patience to defer their holiday plans during this difficult time, while their fondness for travel is the biggest challenge we have encountered.” 

Lam noted that a considerable number of local clusters of infections have emerged since January, such as the hotpot family group, the North Point Buddhist temple group, the Lan Kwai Fong group, and the Discovery Bay wedding banquet group.

These infection cases might be considered a "mini-community outbreak’’ as there may be hidden or unknown virus carriers moving actively in the community, he said. But it has not yet reached the level of a sustained community outbreak, he added.