Police have filed a case against a confirmed novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia patient in Qinghai province for endangering public security by dangerous means.

According to a statement of the public security organ of the province on Saturday, the suspect surnamed Gou, from Huangzhong county, has been working in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, for a long time.

After he returned home recently, he refused to follow the directions of local authorities, which included registering with the community committee and staying at home for quarantine for 14 days after returning from key epidemic areas.

Instead, Gou deliberately concealed his true itinerary and activities, and fabricated false information about the date of his return home. He also concealed his symptoms such as fever and cough to deceive investigators and visitors, and took the initiative to keep in close contact with surrounding crowds many times.

Gou also deliberately hid the fact that his son returned to Xining from Wuhan together with him, and that his son also went out many times and had close contact with people, according to the statement. The son has also been confirmed to have the viral illness.

Gou is now being investigated by police and isolated for treatment.

So far, Qinghai province has reported nine confirmed cases.