A Massachusetts woman who flew from Los Angeles to Beijing before testing positive for the coronavirus could face up to seven years in prison for allegedly concealing her symptoms while traveling.
The woman, who is now hospitalized, took medication that reduced her fever before boarding a plane and lied to flight attendants, according to Beijing’s disease control center and an Air China representative. She is being investigated for allegedly “impeding prevention of infectious diseases,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
Chinese authorities said the 37-year-old woman started showing symptoms of the virus after attending a “company meeting” in late February. The woman, who was identified by her surname, Li, is believed to have attended a leadership conference hosted by Boston biotechnology company Biogen. More than 100 coronavirus cases in Massachusetts have been linked to the Biogen conference.
Li, a Chinese citizen and permanent resident of Massachusetts, was denied a coronavirus test in the state before flying to Beijing, Chinese officials said, according to reports. Her husband has also tested positive for COVID-19.
