Chinese state media reported Monday that police in Hebei province arrested a man who spread online rumors of SARS infections in a local hospital. From China Daily:
According to the police, the person, surnamed Liu, used the website he operates to spreadrumors on Feb 19 that SARS infections had occurred in Baoding-based PLA 252 Hospital inorder to boost the website’s traffic.
On Sunday, local authorities decided to punish Liu by sentencing him to spend two years in alabor education institution, the report said.
The Ministry of Health published an online note on Feb 25 to clarify that the infections in the hospital were actually caused by adenovirus type 55. The note said there has been no reportof any fatal or critical cases.
Reuters reported that Lin spread the rumors in a bid to improve traffic, according to the announcement by the Baoding public security bureau.
