A COVID-19 patient on Tuesday escaped quarantine at the medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram just before his discharge and went to his house, but was brought back after neighbours informed police, prompting Health Minister K K Shailaja to order a probe.
The patient was scheduled to be discharged on Tuesday as he had tested negative twice.
The hospital, in a release, said they informed the health department that the man was about to be discharged as he had tested negative twice.
K K Shailaja has ordered a probe into the matter, a health department release said.
Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Navjot Khosa on Tuesday sought a report from the Medical college hospital officials.
"Preliminary investigation by the medical college officials shows that the patient escaped quarantine due to non-availability of liquor. The surveillance team has started the process of tracing his contacts," a release from the Collector's office said.
The patient is suspected to have travelled in a state-run bus to his native place in Thiruvananthapuram district itself.
Officials said the district administration was trying to gather details of those who travelled in the bus.
Kerala on Tuesday reported 91 fresh cases, which include one health worker in the state capital, taking the total persons under treatment to 1,231.
Of the new cases, 53 are those who returned from abroad while 27 from other states while ten people contracted the disease through contact.
The number of people under observation in the state is 2,04,153 of which 1913 are in isolation wards at various hospitals. 34 people recovered on Tuesday.