A couple from Hawaii boarded a flight from San Francisco to Hawaii Sunday even though they knew they had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to The Washington Post.

What happened:

Wesley Moribe and Courtney Peterson were told by the Quarantine Station at the San Francisco International Airport not to travel, CNN reports.

  • The couple boarded a United Airlines flight anyway after they tested positive for COVID-19.
  • They were arrested once they landed in Lihu Airport.
  • The couple faces second-degree reckless endangerment charges, The Washington Post reports.
  • “They knowingly boarded a flight aware of their positive COVID-19 test results, placing the passengers of the flight in danger of death,” Coco Zickos, spokespersonwith the Kauai Police Department, told The Washington Post.
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What’s next?

The couple could face up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

“We continue to request visitors and residents alike to follow the Governor’s Emergency Rules and take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Kaua’i Police Chief Todd Raybuck said in the news release, according to CNN.

Some extra context:

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The decision to fly came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance for Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving, warning that travel could increase the spread of the virus, which I wrote about for the Deseret News.

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