UAE says joking about coronavirus infection has ‘legal consequences’

UAE says joking about coronavirus infection has ‘legal consequences’
February 3, 2020, 11:03 am

Travelers arrive to LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal wearing medical masks for protection against the coronavirus outbreak. (File photo AFP)

Anyone who jokes about being infected with coronavirus or spreads rumors and videos based on untrue information in the UAE will face legal consequences, local media reported, citing a Dubai police official.

Spreading rumors on social media about the number of cases diagnosed in the country is a crime in the UAE’s federal cybercrime laws, the source told the local newspaper Emarat Alyoum.

The official number of people infected by coronavirus is currently five, according to the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention.

The Ministry stated that all necessary precautions are being taken in coordination with other relevant health authorities in the country to ensure the safety of the citizens and residents.

The Ministry pointed out that the number of cases detected in the UAE was very low and that there was no cause for concern.

source: Leen Alfaisal

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