BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Several people in Beijing were punished for loopholes in their work and failing to fully perform their duties in a case where a released inmate from Wuhan, the center of novel coronavirus outbreak, entered the city and was later confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

The released inmate surnamed Huang entered Beijing through an expressway toll-gate in a private car on Feb. 22, according to an official with the city's discipline watchdog.

The official said the auxiliary police at the toll-gate and employees of the property management office of the community where Huang lives failed to faithfully perform their duties as required in Beijing's epidemic prevention and control work. The hotline personnel of the Beijing center for disease control and prevention (CDC) also gave misinformation when being asked by Huang's relative whether she could enter Beijing or not.

As a result, a number of officials in charge of the toll-gate, a relevant official in the community where Huang lives, concerned persons of the Beijing CDC were given punishments including being reprimanded, removed from their posts, given a demerit or disciplinary warning. The relevant auxiliary policeman was fired.

The property management company in charge of the community where Huang lives was also punished.