Johannesburg – A 27-year-old Covid-19 patient who escaped from his isolation room at Karonga District Hospital in Malawi was spotted in a bar in Chintheche on Wednesday.
According to reports, the man escaped on Saturday after beating the hospital’s security system. Health workers said his escape was worrisome as the patient was likely to have used public transport when he travelled to Mpata, then from Karonga through to Mzuzu City to Nkhata Bay.
David Sibale, Director of the Karonga District health and social services says he regrets the security lapse but said that even while at the hospital, the man was getting calls from people in Mpata, some of whom allegedly threatened his life.
“After escaping on Saturday, he went to Chilambiro, but when we followed up twice, and even on the second occasion when we went with police, the community was uncooperative.
“They lied to us that he had gone back to Tanzania. But now we have information that he is in Nkhata Bay, which is his home of origin,”
The man was spotted at a bar in Chintheche on Monday and was taken to his home village.
Health Minister Jappie Mhango said they were investigating how the man escaped.
Malawi has recorded 63 cases of Covid-19 infections, with three deaths and 24 recoveries.
