Sneaking out of hotel quarantine for a smoke and to meet friends.

The Sabah health department found that 41 people had sneaked out of their hotel quarantine.

LABUAN: Some people undergoing a 14-day quarantine at hotels here have been violating regulations by going out to smoke, buy cigarettes, and to meeting friends at the lobby, police said.

Labuan police chief Supt Muhammad Farid Ahmad said those in quarantine were technical and operation staff in oil and gas companies who have been signed off from duty. They are required to undergo quarantine before being allowed to return home in other states.

“Some were found to have violated the quarantine rulings by going out from their rooms to smoke, buy cigarettes and meeting non-quarantine friends at the hotel lobby.

“(After checking the hotels) we have recorded their particulars and should they repeat the offence, we will hand them over to the health department to be slapped with compounds,” he told reporters here today.

At least seven compound fines were levied on patients for violating quarantine rulings today.

Labuan health department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said at least 15 quarantine-gazetted hotels were checked last night and 41 occupants undergoing quarantine were found violating the rulings.

“These patients were not in their rooms upon inspection by our teams at around 8pm to 10 pm as they had gone out of their rooms without permission and pose a health risk to others,” he said to reporters today.

He said the remaining 34 of the 41 violators were given a final warning with their particulars recorded. - FMT