Mangaluru: Covid-19 positive teen who fled from hospital traced, brought back for treatment

MANGALURU: In less than 24-hours after a teenager who tested positive for coronavirus gave authorities the slip at district Wenlock Hospital, designated Covid-19 hospital. Mangaluru City police traced him and brought him back for the treatment. The youth was found wandering in the vicinity of Rao and Rao Circle, figuratively a stone’s throw away from the hospital, according to what jurisdictional police said was a case of him wanting to wet his whistle.
City police commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash tweeted: “Police constables Shankarappa Lamani and Krishnappa Nandyal do (a) real heroic act of tracing and arresting back the runaway (Covid-19) positive accused from Wenlock Hospital. But for their prompt and dedicated act, accused Devraj (the patient) could have infected many, without even knowing it.” The teenager had slipped away from the hospital around 4pm on Sunday.
Police sources told TOI that the teenager did not resist when police constables spotted him and heeded to their counsel of returning to the hospital for treatment. Since there would have been a delay in summoning an ambulance and taking him back to the hospital, the teenager walked ahead with police following him all the way to the hospital where he was re-admitted. “The youth who seemed disturbed expressed his desire to be treated,” police said.
We will proceed against the teenager legally once his treatment is over and he is discharged, police said. This way, police personnel who would be needed to complete the court formalities in connection with a case registered in Mangaluru South police station and even the district jail where he could be lodged, can be rest assured about their personal safety. This was the first instance in DK where a patient had slipped away from the designated Covid-19 hospital.