Durham police say a patient who escaped from an Oshawa hospital while in police custody earlier this evening has been located.

The patient escaped from Lakeridge Health Oshawa, near Adelaide Avenue West and Simcoe Street North, at around 5:20 p.m.

His escape set off a manhunt, with a number of people reporting a very large police presence in the area.

The patient was located and returned to the hospital at around 7 p.m.

Police did not say how he escaped or where he was found.