ONGOLE: A 26-year-old man gave anxious movements to the staff of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital in Ongole when he escaped from the isolation ward. He  had requested the hospital staff that this samples be sent for testing.

Later with the help of police, the RIMS doctors brought him back to the hospital from his home in Ammanabrolu village, where he will be kept till the results of his tests are out.

According to RIMS officials, he approached the RIMS on March 16 for the first time, stating that he might be having coronavirus symptoms. He informed them that he had returned from Hyderabad on March 14. The doctors examined him, found no symptoms of the virus and sent him back home. On March 27, the 26-year-old man returned back to the RIMS OPD ward again with the same complaint. He requested the duty doctors to take his samples saying he might be having COVID-19 symptoms. After initial check-up, the doctors refused to take his samples, as his condition was normal. He was sent home again. 

On April 2, he returned to the RIMS with the same story and same doubts. It was the third time, he had come for a check-up. So as not to take chances, the doctors admitted him to the isolation ward, collected his samples and sent them for testing to the Virology Laboratory. However, on Friday morning at around 6:30 pm, he disappeared from the isolation ward, giving a scare to the hospital authorities. 

Speaking to TNIE, RIMS Deputy Superintendent Dr Muralikrishna Reddy said he came thrice to the hospital claiming that he might have been infected with the virus. “We admitted him on Thursday evening and collected his samples. We came to know that he had enquired from the RIMS staff about an ATM as he wished to withdraw money from his account and later escaped. With the help of police, we located him at his home and was brought back. We will not discharge him till his medical results are out,” Dr Reddy explained. 

The story in a nutshell

• The 26-year-old man approached RIMS on March 16 after coming from Hyderabad and had a doubt that he was infected 
• So as not to take any chance, the doctors admitted him to the isolation ward of the hospital on April 2
• On Friday morning at around 6:30 pm, he disappeared from the isolation ward, giving a scare to the hospital authorities
• After hours of frantic search, with the help of police, RIMS doctors located him at his home and was brought back