Man who filmed himself claiming to have coronavirus has been arrested

Justin Rhodes filmed himself walking around Walmart talking about Covid-19

A man has been arrested in North Carolina after filming himself lying about having coronavirus.

In a Facebook Live video, Justin Rhodes claimed that he was breaking a 14 day quarantine while shopping in Walmart.

He added that he had a tickly cough, but apart from that he was symptom free.

In the video, the 31-year-old can be seen walking around the store talking about his supposed diagnosis.

“Definitely tested positive for coronavirus,” Mr Rhodes said. “Definitely was asked to self-quarantine for 14 to 21 days.”

He then went on to joke about the other people in the store contracting Covid-19 from him, saying: “They say it’s highly contagious, obviously I’m in Walmart because I’ve got to eat too. So I’ve got to deal with it. If I’ve got it, y’all gone get it too. F**k all ya’ll that’s how I feel about it.”

The Albemarle Police Department confirmed that Mr Rhodes had not tested positive for coronavirus and that the video was a hoax.

Mr Rhodes was arrested on Friday and received a $10,000 secured bond. He is due in court on 30 March at 9am in Albemarle.

The 31-year-old is facing charges of felony perpetrating hoax in a public building and disorderly conduct.

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, upwards of 51,542 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the US. The death toll has reached at least 674.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.