COVID-19 patient’s hospital breakout…

A person, who was receiving treatment for COVID-19, fled from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) this morning (24).

The escapee was identified as Mohammed Kasim Mohammed Nasim, a resident of Marble Beach Road, China Bay in Trincomalee.

He was being treated at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Kandakadu for his severe drug addiction, according to reports.

The 41-year-old had been admitted to the Welikanda Base Hospital on the 9th of July after testing positive for COVID-19 while at the rehabilitation centre. He was subsequently transferred to the IDH on the 15th of July.

However, he had made his escape from the IDH at around 2.00 am today and hours later, several teams of the Army were deployed to locate the suspect. Public assistance was also sought to apprehend the escapee.

At around 10.00 am, the patient was found near the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Colombo.

He had initially gone to the Main Street in Pettah after breaking out of the hospital and later arrived at the Colombo National Hospital in a three-wheeler.

The driver of the three-wheeler in which the escapee travelled in, was directed to the quarantine centre in Kandakadu while the escapee was brought back to the IDH.

Pictures by: Sanjeewa Lasantha