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Beijing has investigated and prosecuted 244 people suspected of involving in 202 criminal cases related to the coronavirus in 2020, according to the annual work report of the People's Procuratorate of Beijing Municipality. 

The procuratorate prosecuted 75 people for the charges of spreading coronavirus-related political rumors, harmful information or cult in 62 cases, vowing zero tolerance to those creating trouble when it came to the virus and disturbing coronavirus prevention and control, according to the report. 

According to media briefing on January 4, spokesperson of Beijing's Public Security Bureau revealed such cases. For example, a 29-year-old woman surnamed Peng fabricated and disseminated that "a restaurant, a café and a hotel tested positive for COVID-19" after hearing that Wangjing in northeastern Beijing was undertaking nucleic acid testing. 

Peng then spread the false information through social media app WeChat, triggering panic among those near the area. Local public security bureau imposed administrative detention punishment on Peng in accordance with the law.

In addition to spreading falsehoods, the procuratorate noted that crashing coronavirus prevention personnel and insulting medical staff have been dealt with severely according to law last year. Fund-raising fraud, production and sale of counterfeit products related to COVID-19 are also subject to further criminal action. 

Global Times