Quebec provincial police are asking the public to be on the lookout for an inmate who fled from a Gatineau hospital on Saturday.

They say 22-year-old David Harvey injured a hospital worker before fleeing on foot.

Harvey was serving a sentence at the Hull detention centre but was in the hospital for treatment.

He is described as five-foot 11 with brown hair and eyes and was last seen wearing a black coat, pants and hiking boots.

Provincial police say he may be hitchhiking towards his hometown of Montreal.

They say anyone who sees Harvey should call 911 and should not approach him.