July 11
Little Rock, Arkansas - A man placed in isolation in an Arkansas hospital after he was diagnosed with contagious tuberculosis broke a window and fled, health officials said.

Unlike the Georgia lawyer who was under a federal quarantine after flying to Europe with what was then believed to be extensively drug-resistant TB, Arkansas health officials said the man who fled has a form of tuberculosis that would respond to treatment.

Franklin Greenwood, 50, is still contagious, though, health officials said.

Greenwood was placed in isolation at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital on June 29 after he was seen coughing up blood outside the city's traffic court. He left the hospital on July 1.

The hospital had no authority to detain Greenwood but kept a civilian worker outside his room.

Troopers were told to watch for Greenwood.
go

WOW I am scared. I don't want to be contagous like him!

You don't know how it felt like to have TB.
I had a non-contagious TB before. I was infected by person unknown. And trust me, the hospital and doctors treat you like fugitive. I missed one day of check up and they send a nurse to my place. I missed another check up and i was escorted by the police to the hospital. They say they were trying to help me live life normally, but with what they did to me...like hell no. I stayed at home crying all the time. I cry during medicine time (cause the medicine make me sick.)

I'm just glad i got rid of it. So i know how this guy must have felt. They say TB medicine stop the TB from being contagious, but why do they have to act like we are fugitives. We are the patient after all who might be facing death...not like we killed someone. I'm sure he has all the rights to stay at home and have the doctors go there.

They're a fugitive as they're literally a bio-bomb... TB is easy to gain if you got some infected person coughing all over you. This man should be fined for putting people at risk. Think of where he's going to go, he'll probably go to a shop full of the old, new born and adults - then cough all over them, perhaps infecting a little kid or an old person (Both who would have less percentage to live after getting infected).

This man is foolish, I hope he gets a sentence or sued.

EDIT

Shaffy... He's contagious... He had to stay in that hospital to avoid him spreading his disease. Not like they'll let him lounge around at home...

isn't all TB contagious/????

Is this the same guy on the "no flying list?"

Why did he run? They're trying to help me.

I hope they find him soon.

Yes very contagious and nothing to fool around with. As anyone with this knows how dangerous this is and how fast and easy it is spred. This man is wrong to run they are trying to treat him and help him as some of us said. Sorry to hear that you went thru this Shaffy and I'm glad your better but you of all people know how dangerous this disease is and for this guy to go running around the streets with it he could easly pass it on to some one else. I'm not saying he would do this intentionaly but one cough,sneeze and there ya go.

Too bad so sad. This disease is becoming resistant to most meds, so if it takes locking a person up until they are well. Then so be it.

I sympathize, but we must remember the immortal words of Mr. Spock:



Sorry for the bad quote, but you get the drift--you have to worry about others, not just yourself. He can kill a lot of people by being selfish.

That is sooo wrong for that TB patient mentioned in the article to do that, whether it was a virulent form or a form that would respond to treatment. There are just too many people out there who have such a lack of concern for human life.

Since we're talking about TB, I have a short incident I'd like to share. When I was a young teen, I worked for the VA hospital as a nurse assistant. I took vitals and helped the nurses and doctors and fed patients who were unable to feed themselves. Anyway, one day I was asked to take the vitals for one patient who was in a wheelchair. This man was elderly and had discussed some symptoms with the nurse.

Later, I saw them wheeling the man out but he had a face mask on. I asked the nurse why he had a mask on, and she said "Oh, he just found out he's got Tuberculosis."

Yikes! I was scared! Well, not to worry. I later had to have a TB test for a County job I had, and I was ok, no TB.

He's been apprehended and might just get cuffed to his bed now. Link

Good to hear. I hope he get's a mighty fine... For endangering the public.

Good Grief! Why this fellow doesn't simply chill out/stay put until the meds have rendered him safe is beyond me to understand.