A Covid-positive man wanted by cops after allegedly refusing to isolate and evading police for nearly two weeks has been arrested in Sydney's west.
Anthony Karam, 27, was arrested by Bankstown police just before 5.30pm on Thursday at an apartment in Wentworth Point.
Mr Karam was previously known to police and tested positive for the disease on August 14, cops say, but allegedly refused to self-isolate at home.
He allegedly refused to answer calls from health officials who then brought in police but when they tried to visit his home, they allegedly discovered the address he gave was fake.
On August 23 police issued a public warning about him after they could not make contact in which officers dubbed him 'public health enemy No. 1'.
Covid-positive Anthony Karam was arrested by NSW Police after they say he reneged on a deal to turn himself in after he allegedly refused to self-isolate
Karam allegedly went on the run while infected, potentially spreading the disease to thousands across the state.
CCTV footage of Karam released by police shows him coughing while in an apartment block lift.
Police allegedly previously made contact with him through a third party and thought they had negotiated a deal to bring him in off the streets, The Daily Telegraph reported.
But they claim the deal fell through, which sparked a renewed manhunt for him.
The situation was considered so serious that police used Section 62 of the Public Health Act for the first time to name and identify Karam to help in the search.
Anthony Karam, 27, seen here in CCTV footage from a lift in an apartment block, has been branded Sydney's 'public health enemy number one'
Anthony Karam, 27, pictured, was previously known to police and tested positive for the disease on August 14 - but has allegedly refused to self-isolate
