Unhappy with the forced cancellation of his birthday party amid a ban on public gatherings in China on account of the coronavirus outbreak, a man threatened to set himself on fire.

The unidentified man planned to host the party with 10 tables in a banquet hall on Jan. 28 but local authorities battling the epidemic asked him to cancel it, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The 59-year-old man in the city of Chongqing, China, doused himself with gasoline and tied firecrackers around his waist threatening to ignite them with a lighter on Jan. 26, two days prior to the event, in a bid to convince the authorities.

His actions reportedly hindered the ongoing epidemic prevention and control work in the area. It also affected 10 patients visiting a clinic on a lower level of the same building, according to the publication.

He was charged Tuesday with disorderly behavior. It was not immediately known what sort of a penalty he would face if convicted.

Large public gatherings, including banquets and parties, have been banned in China as authorities are striving to contain the virus from spreading. So far, the coronavirus death toll has soared well over 1,000 and infected more than 40,000 in the country.

Chinese authorities are tapping their propaganda powers to combat the new coronavirus
Chinese authorities are tapping their propaganda powers to combat the new coronavirus AFP / GREG BAKER
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