Hanoi (VNA) - A Chineseman infected with the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 and his wife have beencharged in Singapore for lying to health authorities investigating whether theyhad passed the disease to others.

Hu Jun, originally from China’s Wuhancity, arrived in Singapore on January 22 and later
tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The38-year-old patient has since recovered and been discharged from hospital.

The Singaporean authorities alsoissued a quarantine order for his Chinese wife, a resident of the city-state.

Singapore's Ministry of Health saidthe couple had given false information about their movements and whereabouts toofficials investigating whether they could have passed the disease on toothers.

They were charged because of thepotentially serious risk their actions had posed to public health, the ministryadded.

The couple face a fine of up to 7,150USD and six-month imprisonment if convicted.

In an another case, immigrationofficials said on February 26 that they had withdrawn an unnamed foreigner's permanentresident status for violating an order to stay at home in self-quarantine afterhis recent travel to China.

Singapore has recorded nearly 100cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection since the disease first originated in Wuhan lastDecember.

With nearly 2,800 confirmed deathsand more than 81,000 cases worldwide, Singapore has banned the entry ofvisitors who have travelled through China or parts of the Republic of Koreawithin two weeks of their arrival./.