Corona patient runs away with husband from hospital in Patherkandi; “Have informed Police,” doctor

74 individuals have tested positive for COVID19 in Karimganj yesterday. The district like other districts of Barak Valley is witnessing a significant spike in the number of COVID cases. The schools have been asked to remain shut and the government has asked shops to shutter down at 2:00 pm. The State Government has also appealed to the general public of Assam to follow the COVID protocols and impose self-regulation as the government of India wants the economy to keep functioning.

However, a large section of the general public is yet to realise the nemesis that lies ahead. In Karimganj’s Patharkandi, a Corona-positive patient escaped from the hospital. According to the Senior Medical Officer of the Patherkandi Community Medical Centre, the patient identified herself as Hasena Begam and had come with her husband. She is a resident of Mambari village in Patherkandi.

“On RAT, her samples tested positive. The moment it was told to her, she along with her husband, ran away from the hospital,” informed Dr. Pradip Dey, senior medical officer of the hospital.

He added, “Considering the vulnerability of the situation and how the disease can spread from one person to many, we have informed the Superintendent of Police about the woman and handed over to them her details that we had with us. This is not the first time a patient has run away from the hospital after testing positive. Earlier too, we handed over the details to Police.”

Dr. Dey said that if the patient is asymptomatic, then the Police generally trace them and ask them to remain indoors. However, if the patient is symptomatic then she would be sent to the Karimganj district hospital which is treating COVID patients.

It is worth mentioning here that a high number of Police officials have got infected in Assam as in the rest of the country. While they stay outdoor and at the frontline, chasing Corona patients increase their chances of being infected. It is unfortunate that a year after the pandemic first broke, people still put the lives of others at risk.