Bacolod probes death of coronavirus patient who sneaked out of isolation facility

BACOLOD CITY — The Emergency Operations Center of this city has further strengthened the security measures at its COVID-19 quarantine facilities after two male occupants escaped, one of whom later on died.

A 40-year-old male COVID-19 patient at the Luisa Medel National High School quarantine facility in Barangay Tangub escaped on Oct. 30 just when he was to undergo another swab test prior to his release. On Nov. 1, he was found dead at a private beach in Barangay Pahanocoy.

A 27-year-old male at the Bata National High School quarantine facility also disappeared on Nov. 1 but was found the following day and brought back to the facility.

The family of the dead patient decided to no longer request an autopsy after the police probe indicated the absence of foul play that led to his demise. Since the man was infected with the virus, his body was immediately cremated, authorities said.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered Col. Thomas Joseph Martir of the Bacolod police to investigate the escape of the two patients from the quarantine facilities.

Leonardia also instructed the local police to immediately deploy policemen in each of the city’s 11 quarantine centers and for facility staff members to establish close coordination with police stations nearest them to avoid similar incidents from happening.

Leonardia said he was saddened by the death of a COVID-19 patient who was quarantined in the city and expressed sympathies to his family. —CARLA P. GOMEZ