Pune/Mumbai, Aug 10 - The Maharashtra police Monday launched a manhunt for a teenaged student who ran away from a hospital in Satara district where he was being treated as a suspected swine flu patient, an official said.

The student, who has been identified as Hissan Sunhere, had gone to the hill station of Panchgani last week for admission to the New Era High School, a residential public school.

'After he developed swine flu like symptoms, he was taken to the Satara district hospital and his blood samples were taken. As per the usual procedure, he was advised to get himself admitted to the hospital and undergo treatment until his reports came,' Satara District Collector Vikas Deshmukh told IANS.

He left the facility under pretext of going to the loo and fled from the hospital. The hospital authorities have lodged a police complaint.

The situation became alarming when his test reports received in the evening showed him as a positive case.