As coronavirus tensions rise amid panic buying, event cancellations and self-isolation and quarantine, it is unsurprising that some have sought to weaponize the outbreak by deliberately coughing at others.
Authorities around the world have advised people to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing and to wash their hands repeatedly throughout the day, but as video from multiple incidents around the world have shown, some are wielding people’s fears against them in a disgusting and petty bid to win arguments.
Cabin fever
Video purports to show cabin crew wrestling a frustrated but unruly airline passenger after she was filmed deliberately coughing on staff so that she would be kicked off a Thai Airways flight.
The plane had reportedly landed at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport but passengers were forced to wait seven hours on the tarmac while more stringent coronavirus screening took place in the airport. The woman became agitated, an argument ensued and finally, she resorted to coughing on staff in a bid to force them to let her off the plane.
“Senior male flight attendant was having none of it, warned her, then a scuffle ensued,” the video's uploader wrote. “He was going to put her in cuffs, but eventually chose not to.”
The woman eventually calmed down and agreed to wait to be screened for the coronavirus.
Off the rails
Meanwhile, on board a Sydney commuter train Monday, a bitter row broke out between two passengers after one asked the other to cover their mouth when they coughed.
The offended passenger claimed that, despite coughing, her mouth remained closed the entire time.
After a few heated words were exchanged, the woman was then filmed deliberately coughing on the man at which point he asked, “Are you serious? Did you just cough at me?” before taking her picture and reminding her of government advice about coughing and sneezing in public.
Spit happens
Previously, a woman was captured on CCTV in Wuhan coughing and spitting on her neighbors’ door knobs. Dozens of residents in the apartment complex had been diagnosed with coronavirus and were in self-isolation at the time.
Police launched an investigation into the incident though it remains unclear whether she was indeed infected with the novel coronavirus, and indeed what drove her to carry out such a disgusting act.
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