Covid suspect goes missing from quarantine, authorities unable to track him for 28 days

greater noida: In an incident of sheer negligence of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Health department and district administration, a 21-year-old man from Jharkhand who was put into institutional quarantine at Galgotias University, after being suspected of COVID-19, went missing 28 days ago and is yet to be traced.

The man was being taken to hospital for treatment in an ambulance after his condition deteriorated but went untraceable. The quarantine facility in-charge has filed a missing complaint at Dankaur police station of Greater Noida on Friday.

As per reports, the patient identified as Ranjeet, a construction worker and native of Jharkhand, was put to district institutional quarantine Center at Galgotias University in Dankaur area on April 21. Another colleague of the youth, who work with him at a construction company in sector Delta-I and identified as RajKumar, was also lodged at the quarantine Center along with him after their swab samples were collected at Government Institute of Medical Science (GIMS).

However, in the evening Ranjeet had complained of bleeding from his nose and ears and was immediately rushed to GIMS for treatment. He was discharged late in night and was brought back to the quarantine centre. On April 23, his condition again deteriorated and while being taken to Sharda Hospital along with three to four other patients, he went missing.

Rajneet's colleague Raj Kumar was discharged from the hospital couple of days later and on May 13 when he enquired the quarantine centre in-charge about his friend, the told him that he was sent to Sharda hospital for treatment. When quarantine facility in-charge Dr. Anil Gupta, inquired officials of Sharda Hospital about Ranjeet, they told him that no patient on this name has been admitted in hospital.

Following this, the facility in-charge lodged a missing complaint with police. "Quarantine facility in-charge at Galgotias University informed us that a suspected patient has gone missing. Acting over the complaint received, we have registered an FIR and are making efforts to trace the patient. Teams have been formed to trace him," said Rajesh Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, GB Nagar.

It was also very strange to know that it has been over a month when Ranjeet's sample for COVID-19 was taken but his reports are still awaited. A senior health officer on condition of anonymity told the Millennium Post that Ranjeet was sent to Sharda Hospital along with a team of two health workers and three more patients.