A suspected coronavirus patient sparked a frantic chase by medics – clad head to toe in full protective gear – in the Russian city of Arzamas, as the presumptive patient sprinted away from a moving ambulance, action movie-style.
As if lifted straight out of a zombie flick, the bizarre scene unfolded on Wednesday, with footage of the pursuit going viral across the Russian-speaking part of the web. The short clip shows a man being chased by a trio of medics wearing white biohazard suits.
Славный город Арзамас, врачи в защитных костюмах играют в догонялки с пациентами с подозрением на "корону".
The incident prompted wild speculation as to exactly what transpired, with a majority of netizens suggesting the medics were trying to hunt a coronavirus-stricken man who vehemently objected to hospitalization. Apparently impressed with how easily the runner left his pursuers behind, others argued he was a local athlete who was simply reluctant to self-isolate.
The mayor of Arzamas set the record straight, however, explaining that the runaway was actually a legally incompetent and mentally challenged individual, who was suspected of having Covid-19 and was to be tested largerly as a precaution before being transferred to institutional care. The medics were to bring him to a nearby hospital to run tests – but it seems the soon-to-be patient had other plans.
The brief chase ended with the man being caught and taken to a medical facility. The result of his test is expected to arrive on Sunday.
Russia has confirmed more than 8,600 cases of Covid-19, as well as over 60 deaths. While the figures are dwarfed by the numbers in the worst-affected nations, the spread has accelerated over the past few days, with some 1,000 new cases confirmed there daily.
