Twenty COVID-19 patients have escaped from a care centre in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, officials said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday at the COVID-19 care centre set up at a students' hostel in Ghatanji taluka, local health officer Dr Sanjay Puram said. Based on a complaint lodged by health officials, the Ghatanji police have registered an FIR against the 20 patients under relevant sections, he said.

Puram said a COVID-19 testing camp was organised on Friday at Amdi village in the district. Later, 19 village residents who tested positive for the disease were admitted to the COVID-19 care centre at Ghatanji. All those 19 patients and another person lodged at the facility escaped around 8 am on Saturday, he said. Puram said he had lodged a police complaint, seeking action against the patients.