Hong Kong police launch manhunt for escaped Covid patient

Hong Kong has nearly 8,000 cases of Covid-19

Credit: AP

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Hong Kong authorities are searching for a Covid-19 patient who escaped one of the city’s largest hospitals while undergoing treatment, according to health officials.

The 63-year old man, identified as patient 7379, was admitted to the isolation ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on December 14 after it was confirmed he had coronavirus.

However, the man escaped the hospital ward via a stairwell on Friday and could not be recaptured.

A statement from the hospital said the patient escaped wearing a jacket over hospital clothes.

"Staff spotted that the man was making his way to run away for the ward … staff chased him but the efforts were in vain,” said a hospital spokesman.

It is the first known case of an escape from hospital of a Covid-19 patient.

Hong Kong has recorded 7,970 coronavirus cases, according to a government website.

Two patients, aged 84 and 85, died in the past two days, a hospital authority statement issued on Friday said. 

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