Scuffle as coronavirus patient attempts escape from isolation centre

A coronavirus patient undergoing treatment at the Infectious Disease Control Center, Down Quarters, Kaduna South attempted to escape from the isolation centre but was caught, The PUNCH reports.

The Media Assistant to the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ekunola Gbenga, confirmed this to The PUNCH on Thursday.

In a statement sent via e-mail, the fleeing COVID-19 patient was said to have engaged officers of the NCDC on duty in a scuffle.

In the fight that ensued, the fleeing patient was said to forcefully take the entrance key to the isolation centre but was later overpowered by the NCDC officers on duty.

The statement titled ‘Kaduna: Civil Defence Officer capture COVID-19 patient who attempted to escape’, read, “It has emerged that a COVID-19 positive patient attempted to escape from isolation center in Kaduna without authorization.

“The suspected COVlD-l9 patient tried to leave the Centre for morning prayers without the permission of doctors. A confrontation ensued between our personnel and the patient who forcefully picked the keys of the gate of the Center and tried to open the gate to escape. The patient was arrested by Corps Assistant Joshua Philip who was among the officers on duty at the isolation center."

The COVID-19 index is said to have engaged the Civil Defence Officer Joshua Philip in serious fracas after he stopped him from leaving his quarantine ward at the isolation center. This exposed the officer to the patient of the COVID-19.

“The keys were disinfected, despite that, the doctor gave the personnel some drugs; he was instructed to self-isolate for two weeks and to call the Center if he develops any symptoms. The Corps had since strengthened its security measures in the internal isolation centre.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, six of the 407 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country were recorded in Kaduna.