Berlin, Jan. 28, (dpa/GNA) – A man is under criminal investigation in Germany after leaving the hospital where he was receiving treatment for Covid-19 to go shopping in the next city, police said on Thursday.
The 21-year-old asked a member of security at the main train station in the western city of Mainz for medical assistance and told them he had the coronavirus – only after he had gone to the REWE supermarket in the building.
After speaking to workers at the shop, federal police sealed off the premises and the supermarket was forced to close for the day, according to a police statement.
Investigators were able to establish that the man had been hospitalized with the virus in the neighbouring city of Wiesbaden.
He left the hospital illegally and travelled to Mainz using public transport, a journey of about 20 minutes.
After asking for help, the patient was brought to the university hospital in Mainz. By that point, state police had also issued an alert for his capture.
The local health authority has been informed of the incident, police said.
GNA