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Delhi Gov't Orders Probe After COVID Patients Go Missing From Hospitals

According the Health Ministry, India on Sunday witnessed a massive surge of 366,161 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 22.6 million, while 3,754 people died due to the virus in the last 24 hours.
Sputnik

The Delhi government has ordered an inquiry into incidents of patients being treated for COVID going missing from hospitals across the city.

Deputy State Chief Manish Sisodia, stated that they have asked the Health Ministry to conduct an inquiry into the matter and submit a report within two days.

"It is not only dangerous to the lives of these patients but also a set back to the efforts of the government which has imposed curfew/lockdown to break the chain and to check the spread of this disease", Sisodia said. 

Over the last month, several hospital authorities have approached the local police to inform them about patients going missing.

"We have no first information report in this regard. However, prima facie it appears that in many cases, patients find better facilities in other hospitals and move there. While some headed home or to other place. Even if they are doing that it's wrong to walk out of the hospital without informing the authorities. They are COVID-positive and can infect others", a senior Delhi police officer, requesting anonymity told Sputnik.

This comes at a time when Delhi has been witnessing massive surges on a daily basis, forcing the state government to implement a complete lockdown. The capital recorded 13,336 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday. 

Last month, around 3,000 people who had tested positive for COVID-19, went missing in India's Silicon City, Bengaluru. According to local police, the department faced issues in tracing the missing people as most of them had switched off their mobile phones.

 

 

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