The middle-aged man had complained of cough, fever and sneezing (Representational)
Annoyed at the delay by health officials in taking his samples for novel coronavirus test, a 47-year-old man slipped out of a hospital in Mathura after giving his samples.
The incident, which happened on Wednesday, has panicked the medical college management and the health department. Officials are scrambling to reach him on the phone and request him to return.
The middle-aged man, a resident of a colony near the Mathura-Delhi national highway, had complained of cough, fever and sneezing to KD Medical College and Hospital officials.
The medical college administration immediately informed the rapid response team of the health department but it took the team six hours to reach there and collect his samples.
Meanwhile, family members kept calling the man repeatedly to enquire about his test results.
Officials believe the man got angry at the delay and walked away after giving his samples.
The samples have been sent to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh.
Mathura District Magistrate Sarvagya Ram Mishra has asked Chief Medical Officer Sher Singh to locate the man and admit him to an isolation ward at the trauma centre of the district hospital.
"We are reaching out to him on phone. He will soon be admitted to a separate ward and given treatment according to the results of the investigation," Mr Singh said.
Mr Mishra said, "His test results are expected by Thursday evening. If he is not infected by the virus, it is good. But if he has the virus, then it will be necessary to get him admitted to a separate ward."
Another official said if the man's test results come out negative, he will be allowed to go.
The man had told officials that he had travelled to Mumbai on March 6 and returned home on March 11. During his train journey, he said, he had come in contact with a foreign national travelling in his coach who might be infected with the virus.