UP: 42 Coronavirus Patients Go ‘Missing’ In Ghazipur, Manhunt Underway

42 coronavirus patients are missing in Eastern UP’s Ghazipur district. The Chief Medical Officer of Ghazipur has written a letter to the district ADM saying that the missing patients are neither in the hospital nor in home isolation. The letter says that the search is on for the patients.

Chief Medical Officer of Ghazipur writes to Additional District Magistrate of Ghazipur regarding 42 #COVID19 patients, who were neither found to be in hospitals nor in home isolation. The letter reads 'Tracing of 42 positive patients is underway.'

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 31, 2020

In the investigation so far it has been found that the mobile numbers of the absconding patients have been entered incorrectly or are switched off. Despite the manhunt being on for more than 24 hours, the police or administration could not find them. According to media reports, there have been many such cases in Eastern UP when patients’ mobile phones were turned off when their report came positive. Before Ghazipur, more than 20 coronavirus patients escaped from the hospital in Chandauli district of eastern UP.

One of the reasons why patients keep fleeing quarantine facilities in UP is the overloaded health system. Patients do not want to be admitted to hospitals due to the lack of basic facilities.

Uttar Pradesh has joined those states where the COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. According to new figures, the total number of infected patients in UP has crossed 81,000. Of these, there are more than 32,000 active patients while around 1,600 patients have succumbed to the virus.