The woman refused treatment for a serious illness for more than a year and ended up in prison

This is the third time in the last 20 years that a court order has been sought to detain a potentially contagious patient.

A Washington state woman who refused a judge’s order for isolation or treatment for infectious tuberculosis for more than a year has been taken into custody.

About this informs New York Times.

The arrest came nearly three months after a civil warrant was issued for her.

The woman’s name was not released by health officials, but in court documents she was identified by the initials VN.

The health department said in a statement that the woman was taken to the Pierce County Jail, where she will be placed in a room “specially equipped for isolation, testing and treatment.”

“We hope she will choose the life-saving treatment she needs to treat her tuberculosis,” the statement said.

The Department of Health ordered to isolate the patient back in January 2022 – after she was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Officials worked with her family and community members for more than a year to try to convince her to seek treatment, but she refused to comply. In March 2023, the county obtained a civil arrest warrant for her forcible detention.

The department said the case was only the third in 20 years to seek a court order to detain a potentially contagious patient who refused treatment.

It is unclear why the woman refused isolation or treatment. However, her lawyer Sarah Tofflemire claimed in a statement that the woman refused treatment because she did not understand what was happening.

Under Washington state law, health care providers are required to report cases and work with patients to make sure they receive treatment for active cases.

We will remind, in the north of Israel, a 60-year-old man became infected with a dangerous bacteria after swimming in a jacuzzi and relaxing in a sauna. After winning the lawsuit against the owner of the establishment, he will receive more than 1 million shekels (almost $170,000) in compensation.

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