Bengaluru, March 9: At a time when the coronavirus scare looms over India, a bizarre incident was reported from Karnataka where a patient, who was admitted to an isolation ward, escaped from the hospital. According to reports, the person had arrived at the Mangaluru airport from Dubai and was admitted to a hospital with symptoms of COVID-19. The man went missing on Monday morning following which the Karnataka Police launched a search operation to find him. The district health department had lodged a complaint with the Mangaluru police after which a probe was initiated. Coronavirus Live Map: How to Track Spread of COVID-19 Worldwide.

According to a report by PTI,  the patient, who arrived on Sunday in Mangalore, was shifted to the district Wenlock hospital with a high fever and a few symptoms of coronavirus. The report adds that the man also argued with the hospital authorities late in the night that he had not contracted the virus. The man left the hospital saying he will take treatment in a private hospital. Soon after the man went missing, the hospital health officer called up the police to locate him.

In India, the total number of positive cases of COVID-19 rose to 43. The  Karnataka  government said that there is no confirmed case of the deadly virus the state and nearly 890 people are under observation. A high alert has been sounded to locate the person who has 'escaped' from the hospital. The patient was to be under observation for 24 hours and will be discharged after routine tests.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2020 04:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).