A woman in Austria was found guilty of fatally infecting her neighbor with COVID-19 in 2021, her second pandemic-related conviction in a year, according to local media. A judge sentenced the 54-year-old on Thursday to four months’ suspended imprisonment and an 800-euro fine ($886.75) for grossly negligent homicide.

The victim, who was also a cancer patient, died of pneumonia that was caused by the coronavirus, according to Austrian news agency APA. A virological report showed that the virus DNA matched both the deceased and the 54-year-old woman, proving that the defendant “almost 100 percent” transmitted it, an expert told the court.

“I feel sorry for you personally – I think that something like this has probably happened hundreds of times,” the judge said Thursday. “But you are unlucky that an expert has determined with almost absolute certainty that it was an infection that came from you.”

  • ulterno@lemmy.kde.social
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    4 days ago

    So, unless you die of it, there are no repercussions to someone blatantly coughing at your face, again and again, despite protests.

    I don’t feel sorry for anyone doing that.

    • foggy@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Coughing deliberately in someones face can be battery in many states with a good lawyer.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      3 days ago

      Well, no repercussions from the government. But the government is not the only entity capable of creating repercussions.

    • ms.lane@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Seems there are no real repercussions at all.

      800 euro and 4 weeks at home?