CORONAVIRUS | Sungai Buloh Hospital lodged a police report after a 24-year-old patient disappeared in the middle of treatment for the suspect novel coronavirus.

According to the report, the patient, who is from Rawang, was admitted at 1.05pm saying he had been ill and coughing for two days. 

He also said that he had been in China from Jan 19 to 26 which included a two day stay in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus which has thus far claimed 213 lives.

The hospital began testing him for coronavirus and he was asked to wait at the contagious diseases ward.

Around 3.30pm hospital staff realised he was missing and they contacted the police soon after.

When contacted Selangor police chief Noor Azam Jamaludin confirmed the incident saying that the man had not fled, but made the decision to return home after waiting a long time.

"When we called him he responded positively. Now he has returned to the Sungai Buloh hospital for observation," he told Malaysiakini.