An Irishman believed to have contracted the coronavirus has escaped from medical isolation at a hospital in India, prompting local authorities to lodge a case with police, who are now searching for the escapee.

The man was admitted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after landing at the nearby Bhubaneswar International Airport with a fever, according to local media. Placed into quarantine at the medical facility, he escaped from its isolation ward late on Thursday, hospital official B Maharana told the Hindustan Times.

Authorities at the Mangalapur police station have been informed of the escape, and are now on the lookout for the man.

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India has confirmed at least 30 cases of the lethal illness gripping Asia, Europe and North America – including a group of 15 Italian tourists – with a number of additional suspected infections and some 30,000 people under medical supervision. Worldwide, the virus has sickened over 98,000 people and killed nearly 3,400.

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