Washington woman with tuberculosis arrested, jailed after refusing to isolate: ‘Necessary intervention’

A Washington state woman with tuberculosis has been arrested and jailed after refusing to isolate.

The unidentified Tacoma woman – who was referred to only as “VN” in court documents – was taken to the Pierce County jail and is being kept in a room specially equipped for isolation, testing and treatment, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said in a statement this week.

“We are hopeful she will choose to get the life-saving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis,” the health department said, and thanked the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies “who supported public health with this necessary intervention.”

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The woman’s arrest comes after the public health department first ordered her to isolate on Jan. 18, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

According to court documents, the woman refused to isolate 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.

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Pierce County Corrections Bureau Chief Patricia Jackson said at the time that she 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 who is refusing treatment.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department sees about 20 cases of active tuberculosis every year, which health care providers are required to report under state law.

Tuberculosis is an airborne disease caused by bacteria that primarily affect the lungs. Common symptoms include cough, fever, night sweats and weight loss, according to the World Health Organization.