A woman from Tacoma, Washington, who has not been identified, has been arrested and jailed for refusing to isolate herself despite being diagnosed with tuberculosis.
The woman referred to as "VN" in court documents, is being kept in a specially equipped room at Pierce County jail for isolation, testing, and treatment. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued a statement this week, stating that they are hopeful that the woman will choose to get the life-saving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis. The department also thanked the Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputies for supporting this necessary intervention.
According to the Tacoma News Tribune, the woman's arrest comes after the public health department first ordered her to isolate on January 18. Court documents reveal that the woman refused to separate or be treated, and an officer with the Pierce County Corrections Bureau caught her taking a public bus to a casino while she was under surveillance. In March, Judge Philip Sorenson authorized law enforcement to detain her, issuing a warrant permitting the woman's involuntary detention, testing, and treatment at the Pierce County jail. Pierce County Corrections Bureau Chief Patricia Jackson believed the woman was actively evading arrest.
The woman's case marks only the third time in the past 20 years that the health department sought a court order to detain a potentially contagious individual refusing treatment. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department sees about 20 cases of active tuberculosis annually, which healthcare providers must report under state law. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by bacteria that primarily affect the lungs. According to the World Health Organization, common symptoms include cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.
Login