An unidentified Tacoma, Washington woman who has been refusing treatment or isolation for tuberculosis (T.B.) since being diagnosed with the contagious bacterial infection for over a year will be arrested Friday and put into isolation for treatment unless she voluntarily complies.
The Pierce County Health Department went before Judge Philip Sorenson for a 16th time to get the woman to comply with the Judge’s order to either resume taking her medication or voluntarily isolate herself.
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The woman was under an involuntary isolation order from Dec. 25, 2022, to Feb. 8, 2023. In the ruling, health officials said the woman started treatment. However, she left before treatment was complete.
Judge Sorenson issued a civil warrant for her arrest, and she will be arrested this Friday. The health department stated she would be taken to a designated facility at the Pierce County Jail for isolation, testing, and treatment.
They also stated that the health department might ask the court to lift the arrest warrant if the woman complies before Friday. Another court hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
The health department said this case is rare as most people with voluntarily T.B. seek treatment or isolation. They have worked with her family and community members for over a year to persuade the woman to take her medication to protect herself and her community.
According to court documents, the health department has filed and was granted court orders over the past year to get the woman to isolate and receive treatment for T.B. The first order was issued on Jan. 19, 2022.
Nigel Turner, a spokesperson with the health department, said this is only the third time in 20 years that they have had to seek a court order to detain a person for T.B. treatment.
“In each case like this, we are constantly balancing risk to the public and the patient’s civil liberties,” Turner said. “Seeking to enforce a court order through a civil arrest warrant is always our last resort.”
Officials fear that the woman’s refusal to isolate puts the rest of the community at risk.
i just saw an article about how a woman in tacoma is getting arrested to be treated for TUBERCULOSIS cuz she’s refusing to take her meds for it 😭 wannabe typhoid mary
— jules (they/them) (@b4byflesh) March 1, 2023
Tuberculosis is deadly and contagious. But it is curable with medication. We continue to work through all options in Tacoma TB case➡️https://t.co/KAZmTU4PZC pic.twitter.com/AwmNUN3S75
— Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (@TPCHD) February 28, 2023
The woman was involved in a car crash earlier this year. Doctors learned she was traveling despite being knowingly infected when receiving treatment for her injuries.
Treatment includes a course of antibiotics, isoniazid, and rifampicin. Depending on the type and severity of the infection, the drugs can be used anywhere from daily to weekly.
T.B. is one of the most common illnesses in the world, with around 10 million new cases a year. However, rates are much lower in the U.S. In Washington, there are about 200 cases yearly, and most people recover with the proper medication.
The U.S. suffered 7,100 cases of the disease in 2020 and 600 deaths. The mortality rate of the disease in America is around ten percent.
According to the health department, Pierce County has about 20 cases of T.B. a year. T.B. infections usually affect the lungs and, if left untreated, can result in death. People with active, untreated diseases are contagious and therefore are a risk to the community.
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Washington State Law requires that healthcare providers report all active cases of T.B. to the local health department; it is up to the health department to ensure patients get treatment.
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