After a 43-year-old COVID-19 patient went missing from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital on Friday evening, the police have begun a search for her. The woman, a resident of Doddabasti Road, was lodged in the hospital’s B Block, which is designated for COVID-19 patients.

The woman was admitted to the hospital on July 25 after she tested positive for coronavirus. She is now being traced by Bengaluru police officials.

A case has been registered under section 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code at the VV Puram police station in the city.

Speaking to TNM, Dr Samarth, the casualty medical officer at KIMS, said this was the first such incident reported at the hospital. “We’re facing difficulty in convincing patients to stay in the hospital in some cases because they are scared. But this particular patient did not share any concern with us. We tried to call on the number she used while registering but there was no response, so we decided to file a complaint,” he said. 

Dr Samarth said the hospital security personnel are unaware how the patient fled from the place. He added that patients are anxious about the cost of treatment and the lack of insurance covering their treatment. At KIMS, patients are charged Rs 65,000 for the treatment, which can run into anywhere between 10 to 15 days at the hospital. This cost excludes the medicines given to patients during the treatment.

Earlier, there were reports of people accused in criminal cases who tested positive for coronavirus trying to escape from hospitals. In June, a COVID-19 patient, who was an accused in a case, escaped from Victoria Hospital. Similarly, a person who had been arrested by the police escaped from the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubballi in July. Such cases have also been reported in many places in the country over the last four months.