Hubei officials punished over release of coronavirus-infected inmate

Several officials in coronavirus-hit Hubei Province in central China have been removed from their post or put under investigation after a women's prison released an inmate who was then confirmed to have been infected with the virus in Beijing.

According to the provincial discipline watchdog on Monday, the prisoner surnamed Huang, who was scheduled to be released upon completing her sentence on Feb. 17, had close contact with a prison guard who was confirmed to be infected on Jan. 29.

Huang stayed in prison for observation after her release day and had her temperature measured during the period. On Feb. 21, the prison turned her over to her daughter and ex-son-in-law outside an expressway toll-gate of Wuhan.

The provincial supervision commission said that it is a case of serious dereliction and neglect of duty to have let someone with fever symptoms leave Wuhan, a city that has been locked down for over a month.

Tan Xianzhen, the Party secretary and head of the provincial justice department, has been under investigation. Hao Aimin, the Party secretary and head of the provincial prison administration bureau, has been removed from his post and under investigation.

Other officials from the bureau, the women's prison and the local public security bureau in charge of the expressway toll-gate were also punished.