The Health Ministry issued a statement about media reports of a patient at Mount Carmel Hospital who escaped after a fight broke out to say that there are a number of errors.

Management at the hospital deny the reports found on Net News and LovinMalta and said that earlier today a fight broke out between patients in Ward 8B. Contrary to reports, the fight did not involve nurses or carers, and nobody was injured.

The statement continued to say that the argument was under control in a very short period of time and it is not true that any wards have been placed on lockdown.

Referring to a LovinMalta report where it stated that a patient escaped during the argument, the Health Ministry said that “the truth is” a patient had permission to exit the premises to run some personal errands, and never returned.

A report has been filed at the Hamrun Police Station.

Two weeks ago, a teenage boy who entered Mount Carmel to seek help had escaped and committed suicide. Doctors had given instructions for the boy to be monitored round the clock, but the boy escaped via a bathroom window.

Workers from within the facility complain of being overburdened and understaffed making it difficult to carry out such monitoring duties.