A Military officer deployed to guard the Ponhea Kraek district referral hospital in Kandal province was beaten to death by a Covid-19 patient who was attempting to escape from quarantine on the evening of May 25.

District governor Ly Sophealin told The Post on May 26 that the suspect, while attempting to flee from the treatment centre, bumped into the guard and beat the officer with a stick.

"The suspect was arrested after he killed the officer and police are now investigating the case," he said.

District police chief Thanh Sokvat said: "I immediately sent officers to intervene and arrest the suspect near the scene. For this case, the provincial police’s criminal experts are filing the case for legal action," he said.

Tbong Khmum provincial police chief Mon Mekar told The Post on May 26 that he would take up the case after the suspect has recovered from the disease.

"We are now holding him in a safe room at the referral hospital where he is being treated, so after he recovers, we will refer him to court. As for the victim, we have handed over his remains to his family," he said.

A report from the district Military Police identified the victim as a 29-year-old military officer based in the same district and the suspect as a resident of Krapeu Sar village in O’Reang-ou district’s Damrel commune.