Man beaten, rushed to hospital after mistaken for Covid-19 patient

A man’s intentions to lodge a police report today has taken a bizarre turn following a misunderstanding that saw him being rushed to a hospital in an ambulance instead.

The source of the misunderstanding was the man’s pink wristband from a hospital which he was wearing when he entered the Sentul police station in Kuala Lumpur, along with his complaints of cough and breathing difficulties.

This had led others to believe that he was a Covid-19 patient.

However, the man who asked to be identified only as Razak explained that while the wristband had indeed come from a hospital, it was not because he was a Covid-19 patient.

“I was hospitalised for six days because of breathing difficulties and heart problems. I was just discharged yesterday.

“I forgot to take off the (pink) hospital wristband,” said the man from Segambut.

Razak, 80, said he wanted to lodge a police report because he was aggrieved by worshippers at a mosque who chased him off when he wanted to perform Asar prayers, because of his wristband.

“They chased me away and beat me, thinking the wristband I was wearing means I have Covid-19.

“I didn’t know what they were saying because I could hardly hear them. They hit me. I was angry and wanted to make a police report.

“But when I arrived at Sentul (police district headquarters), the police also thought I had Covid-19.

“Before I had a chance to explain (that I’m not a Covid-19 patient), people from the hospital came wearing (personal protective equipment) and I have to go to Kuala Lumpur Hospital in an ambulance,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

He said he was shocked by the incident but was relieved when hospital authorities confirmed that he is not a Covid-19 patient.

“The hospital detained me for a while, looked at my records, and realised why I had the wristband,” he said.

After the misunderstanding was resolved, he said his daughter came to the hospital to bring him home.

“They took the (pink) tag and I was allowed home,” he said.

The misunderstanding had also caused the Sentul district police headquarters to close temporarily while waiting for updates from hospital authorities.

“Upon recommendation from (hospital) workers who arrived, police took the initiative to close the Sentul police station temporarily while waiting for results from Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

“Sanitisation of the area around Sentul police station was done immediately afterwards and all personnel are not permitted to leave until told otherwise by Kuala Lumpur Hospital,” said Sentul police chief S Shanmugamoorthy in a statement today.

Shanmugamoorthy said the police station resumed normal operations at 4pm after sanitisation operations have been completed.