Covid patient escapes twice from hospital

VILLUPURAM: Asserting the urgent need for counselling Covid patients who are dealing with depression, a 45-year-old infected man escaped from Government Villupuram Medical College Hospital twice in the last three days.

The 45-year-old daily wager from Thenkodipakka village tested positive on June 22 and was admitted to the medical college. He first went missing from the ward on Monday. Hospital staff immediately alerted Health officials and Vikrawandi police station. Search parties combed streets, bus stands and railways stations in Villupuram and Tindivanam. Finally, they asked Kiliyanur police to rush to his house to check if he had come there.

They found him sleeping with his wife and children. Immediately, an ambulance was sent and they took him back to the hospital. “He said he was depressed and wanted to see his family. One of his friends came to the hospital and helped him escape,” sources said.

Health staff counselled him, and conducted swab tests for his wife, kids and friend. They were later placed under quarantine. On Tuesday afternoon, the patient again escaped from the ward. This time the police straightaway went to his house but he had not reached there. Late in the night, the man came to his house and police picked him up. He again said he could not cope with the depression. The police took him back to the hospital and explained to him how his actions were endangering the lives of his family.