A suspected coronavirus patient was detained in southern Israel on Tuesday after he fled a hospital in the north, some 130 km (81 miles) away.

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The man, who took a train from the city of Hadera to the city of Be'er Sheva, was arrested at 12 am close at a train station near Ben-Gurion University and taken to Soroka Medical Center for examination.

( A suspected coronavirus patient who escaped hospital is being escorted by police )









Police officers in hazmat suits entered the train wearing hazmat suits and escorted the man, suspected to have escaped a coronavirus quarantine at The Hillel Yaffe Medical Center.

The suspected patient is being escorted by police from Be'er Sheva North train station

Once the suspected patients had been escorted, the police took the details of all the passengers who were inside the train at the time of the incident.

Police said on Monday evening they received a report about a patient who is suspected to have escaped from an emergency room and was heading to Be’er Sheva by train.

Police officers in hazmat suits

Upon receiving the report, local police officers contacted Israel Railways and the train was stopped at Be’er Sheva North train station for an hour in order to locate the suspected coronavirus patient.

Police say they are calling on the public to adhere to the Health Ministry’s guidelines in order not to disrupt the national effort to combat the virus outbreak in Israel.

The suspected patient is being escorted by police from Be'er Sheva North train station

"Israel Police will continue to enforce the Health Ministry’s directives to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, in the public domain, businesses and elsewhere, all with the aim of maintaining public order and health."



