ARCHIVED - Fugitive coronavirus patients detained after escaping from hospital

Frustrated patients discharge themselves in Madrid and Benidorm

The Policía Nacional report that they have successfully detained four possible coronavirus patients who had made a bid for freedom and escaped from two hospitals, one of them in the outlying districts of Madrid and the other in Benidorm, in the Costa Blanca.

The Hospital Severo Ochoa in Leganés (Madrid) is currently one of the most overcrowded in the whole of Spain as the medical authorities struggle to deal with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, and three patients who were awaiting a second coronavirus test in the hope of the results being negative decided to take matters into their own hands and discharge themselves without medical authorization. Their frustration was fuelled by the time it was taking for the second tests to be performed, according to the police, a situation which is becoming more and more common as the number of patients and potential patients continues to soar.

In Benidorm, meanwhile, the fugitive was an elderly man diagnosed with the coronavirus who made his way home by taxi, and he, like the three in Leganés, faces a possible fine of between 601 and 30,000 euros for civil disobedience. All four are now back in hospital and under close scrutiny by medical staff, while in Benidorm the taxi driver involved and all of his customers after the escaped patient have been placed in quarantine: it was the cabbie who directed the police to the old gentleman’s home, where he had to be coerced into an ambulance before agreeing to return to hospital.

Since the coronavirus lockdown began on 14^th March the Policía Nacional have reported over 35,000 people for acts of civil disobedience, making 425 arrests. At the same time the Guardia Civil are reporting approximately 6,000 people a day for failing to obey lockdown orders, and local police forces throughout Spain are identifying wrongdoers in all parts of the country.

Image: the IMED hospital in Benidorm (Google Street View)

Remember: LOCKDOWN MEANS LOCKDOWN. STAY AT HOME. STAY SAFE AND DO YOUR BIT TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.

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What to do if you are in the Region of Murcia and believe you may have contracted the virus

The regional government has set up a special helpline to supply information to members of the public (900 121212), and also urges people to call the 112 emergency services line if they suspect that they may have contracted the virus rather than going straight to hospital or to a medical centre. Medical staff will be sent to your home to test for the virus.

The Region’s public hospitals have limited the number of visitors to just one per patient.

Sensible precautions

The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points:

- Wash hands frequently with either soap and water or a sanitiser gel

- Catch coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues – and throw the tissues away immediately after use before immediately washing your hands!

- If you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve – and wash the item of clothing used at the next opportunity

- AVOID touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

- AVOID close contact with people who are unwell

- Don´t panic!