COVID -19 suspect in Punjab escapes from hospital, caught

A COVID-19 suspect who had fled from the isolation ward of a hospital in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district was caught by police on Thursday.

Yusuf Khan's samples had been sent for testing and he was under quarantine when he fled from the hospital on Wednesday night, creating scare among the people in the district and surrounding areas.

Acting swiftly, the Punjab Police arrested the 40-year-old man from Chabbewal town in Hoshiarpur the next day.

Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital Dr Jaswinder Singh said Khan was referred from Dasuya to Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital.

"We sent his samples for checking on Tuesday. He fled from the sample collection room by breaking a plywood piece which was fitted in the window against the space meant for AC," he said.

Three security men ran after him, but he misled them by claiming that he was another patient who was discharged from the isolation ward on Tuesday, the SMO said.

Khan was arrested from the Chabbewal area and brought back to the hospital on Thursday, said Dr Jasvir Singh, the surgeon at the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital.

When asked if Khan had a connection with Tabhlighi Jamaat congregation held in Delhi, the SMO said, I have no information about this.