Da Nang police on Saturday morning said that an administrative fine of VND 7.5 million has been issued to a 31-year-old man from Hoa Xuan Ward, Cam Le District for writing negative comments and expressing distorted thinking on an online journal article about the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control work, harming the reputation of agencies and organisations that are helping the city’s fight against the deadly disease, as well as harming the dignity of the individual.

He now faces a heavy fine of VND 7.5 million under Decree 15/2020/ND-CP dated February 3, 2020, prescribing penalties for administrative violations in postal services.

Since the beginning of the year, Da Nang police have detected and handled 19 cases of spreading false and misleading information about the COVID-19 pandemic on social media platforms, causing confusion, anxiety and fear among the general public, as well as affecting the adherence of municipal response measures amid the city’s stay-at-home mandates.

Reporting by AN NHIEN – translating by H.L