For more than a year now, Washington health officials have been trying to get a woman to complete treatment for tuberculosis—and now the woman, referred to only as VM in court papers, could end up behind bars as a result. A judge on Friday issued an order of contempt for the Pierce County woman and authorized her arrest, the Olympian reports. He gave her one week to turn herself in, otherwise a civil warrant for her arrest will be issued, KOMO News reports. Per medical records, VM started treatment for TB but did not complete it; this court order is the 15th time she has been ordered to submit to isolation, testing, and treatment since January of last year.
Under the order, VM will be detained for a period of time "not to exceed forty-five days to undergo testing and treatment for active tuberculosis and to continue such treatment until medical tests conclusively establish that she no longer presents a threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, whereupon respondent shall immediately be released from detention." Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that is relatively uncommon in the US, and it is highly treatable with medication, though the course of treatment can take three to nine months. But TB can be fatal if not treated, and anyone with an active, untreated case is contagious to others, so it is considered a public health risk. Washington's health authorities consider detainment a last resort in cases of noncompliance. (More tuberculosis stories.)
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