COVID-19 patient runs away from Sungai Petani hospital

SUNGAI PETANI: The police are looking for a COVID-19 patient who is believed to have escaped from the Old Sungai Petani Hospital here yesterday.

Kuala Muda district police chief ACP Adzli Abu Shah said various teams were mobilised to look for the 39-year-old male patient after he was reported missing at 8.45 am.

"A special task force was sent to the patient's house in Taman Bandar Baru, Sungai Lalang, but he was not at home,'' he told Bernama when contacted today.

Adzli said the man was admitted to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here and underwent minor surgery on his hand which had pus on Thursday.

''He also underwent the COVID-19 swab test and was found positive on Friday. He was quarantined at the B1 ward of the Old Sungai Petani Hospital," he said.

POLICE-PATIENT 2 (LAST) SUNGAI PETANI

The man had been warded for six days and a nurse on duty only realised he had gone missing yesterday, he added.

"Other patients claimed they saw the man leaving the ward at about 6.30 am yesterday with his bag and personal belongings,'' he said.

He urged anyone with information on the patient to contact the nearest police station or the Ministry of Health.

-- BERNAMA