Criminal prosecution for spreading dangerous infectious diseases to people?

Reply: Pursuant to Article 240 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended and supplemented in 2017, which stipulates the crime of spreading dangerous infectious diseases to people, it stipulates:

1. Anyone who commits one of the following acts, causing the spread of a dangerous infectious disease to people, shall be subject to a fine of from 50,000,000 to 200,000,000 VND or imprisonment from 01 year to 05 years:

a) Taking out or allowing the taking out of an epidemic area of ​​animals, plants, animal or plant products or other items that are capable of transmitting dangerous epidemics to humans, except in cases where the law provides otherwise;

b) Bringing into or allowing to be brought into the territory of Vietnam animals, plants or animal or plant products that are infected with diseases or carry dangerous pathogens that can be transmitted to humans;

c) Other acts that spread dangerous diseases to people.

2. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 05 years to 10 years:

a) Leading to the declaration of an epidemic under the authority of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee or the Minister of Health;

b) Causing death.

3. Committing a crime in one of the following cases shall be punishable by imprisonment from 10 to 12 years:

a) Leading to the declaration of an epidemic under the authority of the Prime Minister;

b) Causing the death of two or more people.

4. The offender may also be fined from 20,000,000 to 100,000,000 VND, banned from holding positions, practicing a profession or doing certain jobs from 01 to 05 years.

Thus, individuals who spread infectious diseases to the community may be prosecuted criminally. Violators may be sentenced to a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years.

In addition, the offender may also be fined from 20,000,000 to 100,000,000 VND, banned from holding positions, practicing a profession or doing certain jobs from 01 to 05 years.