Police from the Chenghai district of Shantou in the eastern part of Guangdong province will further investigate four people who refused to report a person exhibiting symptoms of fever and cough to local neighborhood committees and medical institutes.

The four might be prosecuted for endangering public safety and security, according to a statement released by the Chenghai district branch of the Shantou City Bureau of Public Security.

On Jan 23, a couple surnamed Du and Yang from Zaoyang in Central China's Hubei province arrived in Chenghai to see Du's father, who works in a local factory. The father arranged for his son and daughter-in-law to live in his factory.

But the father, his son and another person surnamed Xu didn't report to local neighborhood committees and related medical institutes when Yang fell ill and showed the symptoms of fever and cough, and they refused to cooperate with local medical staff to fight against the novel coronavirus.

Du and his wife, surnamed Yang, were isolated for medical observation on Jan 29. Yang, unfortunately, was confirmed to be a novel coronavirus patient on Jan 31.

As a result, all the people who made contact with Yang at the factory must now be isolated for medical observation.

Police urged locals to strictly abide by regulations and rules on fighting the novel coronavirus, and contribute to preventing and controlling the spread of the deadly disease.

Guangdong is not alone.

Police in Xining, Northwest China's Qinghai province, will investigate a local resident surnamed Gou, who hid his health condition after returning home from Wuhan on Jan 31. Gou, although showing the symptoms of fever and cough, still attended many parties and met many relatives and friends.

In Chaoyang city of Northeast China's Liaoning province, a man surnamed Cao, a local village doctor, was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus after he had close contact with a patient surnamed Liu on Jan 23.

Liu, who came home from Wuhan with a fever and cough, lied to Cao and said he had returned from Sichuan province when the two met.

In Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, a man secretly drove home from Wuhan after the city was locked down. The man hid himself from everyone until he fell ill and was confirmed to have the novel coronavirus on Jan 29.

The man, along with his parents, had contact with relatives and friends during the Lunar New Year instead of isolating himself at home after returning to Nanjing.

The man and his parents have now been sent to a designated hospital for isolated treatment, while the residents in their housing estate are required to isolate themselves at home for further observation.