Alla Ilyina blogged about escape after being told she had to be quarantined despite testing negative

A St Petersburg court has ordered a Russian woman to be forcibly confined to hospital after she dramatically broke out of coronavirus quarantine and blogged about her escape.

Alla Ilyina, 32, was escorted by bailiffs and medical staff back to the Botkin infectious diseases hospital, where she had been held under quarantine, before short-circuiting the electronic lock to her hospital door and sneaking past doctors to an elevator.

Quick guide What are coronavirus symptoms and should I go to a doctor? Show Hide What is Covid-19? Covid-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic. What are the symptoms this coronavirus causes? According to the WHO, the most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, tiredness and a dry cough. Some patients may also have a runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion and aches and pains or diarrhoea. Some people report losing their sense of taste and/or smell. About 80% of people who get Covid-19 experience a mild case – about as serious as a regular cold – and recover without needing any special treatment. About one in six people, the WHO says, become seriously ill. The elderly and people with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, or chronic respiratory conditions, are at a greater risk of serious illness from Covid-19. In the UK, the National health Service (NHS) has identified the specific symptoms to look for as experiencing either: a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back

a new continuous cough - this means you’ve started coughing repeatedly As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work, and there is currently no vaccine. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system. Should I go to the doctor if I have a cough? Medical advice varies around the world - with many countries imposing travel bans and lockdowns to try and prevent the spread of the virus. In many place people are being told to stay at home rather than visit a doctor of hospital in person. Check with your local authorities. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

The escape, which took place on 7 February, went unreported for days until Ilyina herself told journalists she had broken out, posting a detailed video of her getaway on Instagram.

Ilyina fell ill after returning from the Chinese resort island of Hainan last month and was put under quarantine by doctors. But after she tested negative for the virus on 6 February, she was told she would be held under quarantine for two weeks regardless.

“When they told me I was totally healthy, I requested that the doctors let me go home,” she said in the video, which featured a schematic diagram detailing her escape plan. “I said that according to the constitution, I have a right to my freedom. Also under Russian law, I have a right to refuse hospitalisation. They refused. So, I worked out a plan.”

The story went viral and led to a police search for Ilyina, who had locked herself in her apartment. The court on Monday ordered her to be admitted to hospital until at least Wednesday, in order to receive new test results.

Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show Hide The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough

Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

Russia has taken extraordinary measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, closing its borders with China and putting dozens more under quarantine. But patients have complained about delayed test results and draconian rules that have left them trapped in hospitals. At least three people have fled quarantine since the coronavirus outbreak began, including a 34-year-old mother who jumped out of a hospital window with her son in the city of Samara.

On Monday, the first Russian citizen was diagnosed with the new coronavirus – a woman onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan. Two Chinese citizens in Russia were diagnosed with the disease and have since been released.

More than 140 Russians and others evacuees from Wuhan are also being quarantined at a sanatorium in western Siberia being patrolled by members of Russia’s national guard.