COVID-19 case escapes IDH, found hours later

Rewards for those who assisted to locate COVID-19 patient who escaped IDH

by Zulfick Farzan 24-07-2020 | 6:42 PM

Colombo (News 1st); The 41-year old COVID-19 patient who escaped from the Infectious Diseases Hospital or IDH while receing treatment early on Friday (24), was traced and returned back for treatment following a wide man-hunt which lasted a few hours.

Once it was confirmed Mohammed Kasim Mohammed Nasim had escaped from the IDH, Sri Lanka Police published his image accompanied by details adding he was a resident from Sinnam-Pillei-Simei, Trincomalee.

The police notice also noted, the man was suffering from serious drug addiction.

He was reportedly transferred to IDH, after contracting the virus at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.

Reports suggested he escaped from the hospital at 02 AM and was traced close to the Colombo National Hospital and he had arrived there in a three-wheeler he hailed from Main Street in Pettah.

The three-wheeler driver was moved to quarantine on the instructions of Senior DIG of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon.

The escaped COVID-19 patient was identified first by two staff members attached to the Colombo National Hospital, who alerted the security forces.

Sri Lanka Police is to award those who assisted the authorities to trace and locate the COVID-19 patient.