COVID-19 patients try to escape quarantine centre in Pakistan

Several COVID-19 patients in Pakistan, including several members of the Tableeghi Jamaat, quarantined at a centre here broke open the building's main door in a bid to escape, creating a law and order situation. Over 400 COVID-19 patients, mostly Tableeghi Jamaat members are being quarantined at Lahore's Expo Centre Field Hospital.

"On Thursday a good number of COVID-19 patients mostly Tableeghi Jamaat members refused to stay (at the centre) and broke open the door in a bid to escape," said Mayo Hospital's chief executive Dr Asad Aslam who is also supervising the management of the Expo Centre Field Hospital. "A law and order situation occurred, however, police managed to control the situation and send all those trying to escape back to the centre," said Aslam.

He said the matter was resolved after holding dialogue with the patients. "They wanted to go back to their homes before the completion of the quarantine period," he said.

Muhammad Shabbir, a Tableeghi Jamaat member, said the centre's management had unnecessarily kept them in the 'detention house' despite being tested negative. Aslam said under a standard operating procedure, the Covid-19 patients would be discharged after their reports will be negative twice.

"As they tested negative only once, it will be a high risk to allow them to go home," he added. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Friday rose to 17,439 with over 400 deaths. In March, the Tablighi Jamaat went ahead with its annual congregation in Raiwind, Lahore against despite the government's 'advice' that the gathering might spread the virus.

Tablighi Jamaat members have emerged as the prime suspects among potential coronavirus carriers, not just in Pakistan but in India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.