DAVAO CITY – The female patient, who has gone missing for six days after escaping from a government quarantine facility where she was being treated for coronavirus disease, was found around 6 a.m. on Friday in Barangay Matina Crossing, Davao City.
In a live interview over 91.5 Brigada News FM Metro Davao, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Captain Rose Aguilar said the Talomo Police Station immediately dispatched their personnel after receiving a report that the patient was spotted sitting by the roadside in Barangay Matina Crossing.
She said the authorities did not let the woman go even as they were still verifying her identity with the personnel assigned to Queensland Motel Davao, a COVID-19 facility for positives with “mild” symptoms.
She said the police who handled her donned personal protective equipment to get close to COVID-19 patient, and fed her.
The woman was immediately brought back to the quarantine facility after authorities confirmed that she was the missing patient, according to Aguilar.
“Our police personnel wore PPEs just to get protected from the infection whether she was the missing patient or not. They were just being cautious so they will not get infected,” she added.
She said the police could now heave a sigh of relief after putting her back in the facility but added their attention is now focused on contact tracing the individuals who might have come in close contact with her.
Police authorities released the computer-generated cartographic sketch last Tuesday to locate the patient, a resident of Purok 4, Isla Verde, Barangay 23-C here.
Mayor Sara Duterte said over 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) last Monday that the security in quarantine facilities has been beefed up because other patients had also previously attempted to escape as they “do not want to be admitted.” (Antonio L. Colina IV)