Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency:  Newsflash

A mother has been fined for walking her COVID-19 infected son on the streets during lockdown in France.

The incident took place in the commune of Brioude in the south-central French department of Haute-Loire in the region of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.

According to local media, French cops carrying out vehicle and pedestrian checks during lockdown fined a mother for walking on the street with her two children, one of whom had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The infected boy was reportedly known to the local officials and as a result, his mother was fined 135 EUR (122 GBP) for the offence.

However, the police told local media that the penalty could possibly go up to 1,500 EUR (1,365 GBP).

If it is deemed that the mother endangered other people’s lives, she could face up to one year behind bars and a fine of 15,000 EUR (13,650 GBP), according to local media.

On March 15th, the French government introduced tough lockdown measures across the country to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Failure to comply with the new measures can result in severe penalties, including a fine of 3,750 EUR (3,415 GBP) and a maximum of six months’ imprisonment.

As of 23rd March, France has reported 16,720 cases of COVID-19 and 674 related deaths.

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