A woman suspected of being infected by the coronavirus fled her isolation ward in Austria, prompting a major police hunt.
On Tuesday the woman voluntarily came to Salzburg University Medical Center close to the German border. However, the 31-year-old disappeared from her room overnight.
A huge search operation was sparked which led police to find her at her home.
The woman had traveled from Taiwan to New Zealand on January 7, before heading back to Austria on January 26.
She had experienced respiratory problems on the flight back, prompting her to call the country’s health advice hotline.
An ambulance specially equipped to handle infections was sent to the woman who was taken to the University Hospital.
Before she fled a throat swab had already been taken from the her which will now be processed as a priority.
The patient’s bed was found empty at around 3am when a nurse went to check on her.
The police, the state medical directorate and the city’s health department were all informed.There have been multiple suspected coronavirus cases in Austria