Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

A 42-YEAR-OLD man, surnamed Li, was detained for five days by Bao’an police for disrupting public order and fabricating information regarding the cause of massive screening to detect COVID-19 cases in the city.

Li, living in Bao’an District, admitted fabricating the story, which was literally titled “Love Overturns Two Cities 2021,” when he was caught Tuesday, according to a police report released the same day.

In the fabricated story, which circulated online Monday, Li claimed that a man living in Nansha, Guangzhou, had a date with a young woman in Guangzhou. They happened to have a meal in the same restaurant with an old woman who was later confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.

Li claimed that the man hid his travel history in the screening process and went to public areas as usual. The young woman later came to Shenzhen, thus causing a massive screening in the city.

Police reminded the public not to start, believe in or spread rumors and to cooperate with the city’s COVID-19 prevention and control work.