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Judge rules woman with tuberculosis can leave jail
The woman was released from Pierce County Jail, with conditions
TACOMA, Wash. - A woman who was booked into Pierce County Jail after failing to self-isolate as a part of her treatment for tuberculosis is no longer infectious, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
Earlier this year, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department went to court as a "last resort" when a woman in her 70s was positive for active tuberculosis but refused to self-isolate and would continue to go out in the community.
The health department has legal authority to seek a court order to get patients into treatment, though it's rarely been done, said Nigel Turner, division director of Communicable Disease Control.
Turner told FOX 13 that in the last 20 years, they've only had to turn to legal avenues three times.
She was booked into Pierce County Jail on June 1. She was housed in a room specifically equipped for isolation.
The woman was then allowed to isolate at home at the end of June.
On July 20, all parties in this case agreed to a court order with conditions to end isolation and electronic home monitoring for the woman.
The health department said she has texted negative in three consecutive tests, meaning she is no longer infectious.
"We will continue to work with her to provide treatment and testing to help cure her tuberculosis," the department of health said.