Johannesburg, South Africa - Forty nine highly infectious tuberculosis patients cut through wire fencing and broke out of a hospital isolation unit, apparently because they wanted to spend Christmas with their families.
The mass escape highlights the problems faced by South Africa as it struggles to cope with an epidemic of virtually incurable TB that feeds off the AIDS virus and kills most of its victims. South Africa has an estimated 5.4 million people living with the AIDS virus.
Eastern Cape authorities said Tuesday they were still searching for 29 TB patients who escaped last week from the Jose Pearson Hospital near the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Twenty had turned themselves in following appeals, and authorities said they hoped more would follow suit.
A spokesman for the department said the 49 patients — all with multidrug resistant and extremely drug resistant TB — had escaped through holes they cut through the hospital's perimeter fences.
Although forced confinement of patients violates most medical ethics, authorities say they have no choice but to put the wider public good above individual rights. Confinement for XDR-TB is at least six months.
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Full Version: 49 TB patients escape a S. African hospital
QUOTE (Owlscrying @ Dec 19 2007, 11:22 AM) 
Johannesburg, South Africa - Forty nine highly infectious tuberculosis patients cut through wire fencing and broke out of a hospital isolation unit, apparently because they wanted to spend Christmas with their families.
The mass escape highlights the problems faced by South Africa as it struggles to cope with an epidemic of virtually incurable TB that feeds off the AIDS virus and kills most of its victims. South Africa has an estimated 5.4 million people living with the AIDS virus.
Eastern Cape authorities said Tuesday they were still searching for 29 TB patients who escaped last week from the Jose Pearson Hospital near the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Twenty had turned themselves in following appeals, and authorities said they hoped more would follow suit.
A spokesman for the department said the 49 patients — all with multidrug resistant and extremely drug resistant TB — had escaped through holes they cut through the hospital's perimeter fences.
Although forced confinement of patients violates most medical ethics, authorities say they have no choice but to put the wider public good above individual rights. Confinement for XDR-TB is at least six months.
go
The mass escape highlights the problems faced by South Africa as it struggles to cope with an epidemic of virtually incurable TB that feeds off the AIDS virus and kills most of its victims. South Africa has an estimated 5.4 million people living with the AIDS virus.
Eastern Cape authorities said Tuesday they were still searching for 29 TB patients who escaped last week from the Jose Pearson Hospital near the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Twenty had turned themselves in following appeals, and authorities said they hoped more would follow suit.
A spokesman for the department said the 49 patients — all with multidrug resistant and extremely drug resistant TB — had escaped through holes they cut through the hospital's perimeter fences.
Although forced confinement of patients violates most medical ethics, authorities say they have no choice but to put the wider public good above individual rights. Confinement for XDR-TB is at least six months.
go
Although i understand the desire to spend christmas with their families, I can't understand why the patients would want to risk giving their families TB.
So, this TB virus targets only those with AID's?
QUOTE (Chokmah @ Dec 19 2007, 03:05 PM)
So, this TB virus targets only those with AID's?
Maybe something relating to the way AIDS tinkers with peoples immune sytems....
TB is usually caused by a rise in the HIV infections and neglect of TB control programs....Africa is a country where AIDS is very predominant, but as 1.618 said, why would they want to expose their families to this....
QUOTE (goalienan @ Dec 19 2007, 09:54 PM)
TB is usually caused by a rise in the HIV infections and neglect of TB control programs....Africa is a country where AIDS is very predominant, but as 1.618 said, why would they want to expose their families to this....
Very sad!This would have to be one of the worst cases of arrogance and self-interest i have heard of in a while!
Thats sick, I understand everyone loves the holidays and wants to spend them having fun and all, but these people obviously weren't thinking about everyone they were putting in danger.
QUOTE (InHuman @ Dec 19 2007, 11:47 PM)
Thats sick, I understand everyone loves the holidays and wants to spend them having fun and all, but these people obviously weren't thinking about everyone they were putting in danger.
These people are not only endangering their own families, but everyone else they come into contact with as well. This type of incurable TB is resistant to medications and is contageous. That's why they were quarantined. Sometimes, educating people isn't enough, they still make assonine decisions.
What exactly are they escaping from? it's a hospital, not a prison. People are trying to help them, as well as protect those not infected. How are they helping themselves or anybody else by running away from their only (current) hope of survival?
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