A man who escaped from a quarantine site in Hun Sen Bakchenhchien High School in Pursat province’s Phnom Kravanh district was killed in a road accident while walking down the street in Bak Chinhchien commune’s Krabao Chrum village, according to police and witnesses.

Pursat provincial deputy police chief Mo Lida told The Post on June 2 that the deceased was a 33-year-old resident of Krouch Chhmar village in the district’s Leach commune.

Citing a health official at the quarantine centre, Lida said the man had been at the centre for a few days before the accident and that he had tested negative for Covid-19 initially.

“Once he entered the quarantine centre, the medical staff took his temperature and throat swabs to check for infection and would do so three times as per procedures.

“If he tested negative the medical staff would allow him to return home,” he said.

Bak Chinhchien commune chief Vuon Thy recounted that the man arrived on a motorcycle in his hometown in the district on May 30 or 31, when his brother reported to the local authorities who then sent him to the centre.

When he arrived at the centre, medical staff took throat swabs to check for Covid-19 infection immediately and he tested negative. The 33-year-old was required to stay in quarantine and undergo swab tests three times as per procedures but he snuck away after the first one.

The medical call staff then reported him missing and searched for him hoping to bring him back to the centre, but to no avail.

“That night we tried to find him, but could not. Later, residents told me that a man was killed in a road accident. I went to see the body and immediately recognised him,” he said.

The deceased had already been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Thy said citing his mother.