SAFD: Man jokes about being exposed to coronavirus, could face criminal charges

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man’s joke about the coronavirus may land him in legal trouble.

The San Antonio Fire Department said the man told medics Tuesday night that he had been in contact with someone from China and he may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

The man’s claims created a situation that started with an ambulance and two fire stations being forced to go on lockdown.

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When the man was taken to a downtown hospital, the facility couldn’t accept other patients until they figured out how they were going to handle the man’s situation, officials said.

The man finally fessed up and told a nurse that it was all a joke and he had not been exposed to the virus after all, officials said.

The San Antonio Police Department is looking into the incident to determine if the man will face criminal charges.