A thief, who tested positive for the coronavirus after he was arrested on Monday, fled from hospital on Thursday using the washroom ventilator.

Before that he caused enough problems for the Hazaribagh police who had to sanitise Sadar and Korra police stations since he had been kept there before he was shifted to the Covid ward of Hazaribagh Medical College and Hospital (HMCH).

Around 100 cops from the two police stations had to be sent on home quarantine too.

As news of the missing thief spread on Thursday, deputy commissioner Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh and SP Karthik reached the Covid ward of HMCH for preliminary enquiries before launching a formal manhunt.

Karthik said they searched three places following credible tip-offs but the thief managed to escape. “But we are hopeful about arresting him soon,” he said.

SDO Megha Bhardwaj clamped Section 144 in the sadar sub-division till July 31. According to her order, anyone below 10 years and above 65, should remain indoors. Also, no one would be allowed to be outdoors between 9pm and 6am the following morning.

In neighbouring Chatra, two new Covid cases, one a government employee in the land acquisition department and the other a police constable, were identified. Both were shifted to the Covid care centre.

Deputy commissioner Jitendra Kumar Singh appealed to local residents to co-operate with the administration and follow social distancing norms to stay healthy.

He said the constable had returned from Patna a few days ago after which he was kept in the local isolation ward. The government employee also returned from Patna where he had to attend a wedding. He joined work on Wednesday, the same day he tested positive.

Another government employee at the district collectorate of Ramgarh tested positive on Thursday. The deputy commissioner announced on twitter that the collectorate was being sanitised and hence, access would be limited.

He said they had launched contact tracing efforts.