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Authorities plan to arrest a Tacoma woman afflicted with tuberculosis this week after she's been refusing treatment for the disease, according to KOMO.
Judge Philip Sorenson has issued a civil warrant for the patient's arrest after the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department told him she isn't complying with a court order. Under the judge's order, the woman is supposed to take medication or voluntarily isolate herself, but officials said she hasn't done either.
As a result, she has until Friday, March 3 to comply with the order or she'll be taken to a specific facility at the Pierce County Jail for isolation, testing, and treatment. If the patient adheres to the court order before the deadline, they'll lift the warrant.
The woman has been sick with tuberculosis for over a year and was under an involuntary isolation order from December 5, 2022, to February 8, reporters learned. The health department has been working with the woman's family and community members to protect herself and curb the spread of the illness.
According to officials, she was undergoing treatment but left before it was complete.
"In each case like this, we are constantly balancing risk to the public and the civil liberties of the patient," Nigel Turner, a health department spokesperson, said. "Seeking to enforce a court order through a civil arrest warrant is always our last resort."
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that targets the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body, including the brain, spine, and kidneys, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can easily spread through the air but not through physical contact or sharing items.
Officials say treatment for TB takes three to nine months, and those who stop treatment early can develop antibiotic resistance.