Police looking for suspected COVID-19 patient who fled from hospital in southwest Moscow

Moscow police are looking for a suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) patient, who has escaped from a specially designated hospital in the southwestern Kommunarka district, the hospital's chief, Denis Protsenko, said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, a Telegram channel reported that a woman suspected to have the coronavirus had escaped from the quarantine center in Kommunarka. Her first test for the disease was positive.

"Despite the current information policy, prescriptions and explanatory work on admission to hospital, we have to deal with the unconscious behavior of hospitalized patients who do not understand the situation and the danger of spreading COVID-19 in the city. We contacted the police after the patient escaped from the hospital. I ask my colleagues to explain to non-medics the seriousness of the situation, and urge citizens to show civic consciousness," Protsenko said on Facebook.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across Russia currently stands at 63, including one Italian and two Chinese nationals.