Coronavirus testing post destroyed overnight

An isolation post for people with symptoms suggesting a coronavirus infection was destroyed early Saturday morning in Beek en Donk, part of the Laarbeek municipality in Noord-Brabant. Police said they suspect a heavy fireworks blast caused the damage.

It happened at about 12:45 a.m., one local police officer said on social media. It was connected to the Medisch Centrum Beek en Donk, a family doctor’s office in the town. The container unit was placed about four weeks ago, and was also used for commercial rapid testing for a SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, according to the Eindhovens Dagblad.

Laarbeek Mayor Frank van der Meijden, told Omroep Brabant that the incident made him both “angry and sad,” and called on the perpetrators to turn themselves in. "What happened here is unheard of," he said. "Unprecedented and unacceptable."

Authorities were still investigating what exactly happened, and asked for the public’s help in solving the crime.

“Apparently there are people who push their discontent or lack of awareness of common norms and values to the max when it comes to the property of others. And then also against a coronavirus unit for the general practice that can make the difference for your fellow man,” the police officer said.