A couple infected with a highly contagious strain of TB refused to be admitted to hospital on religious grounds, says a report in The Mercury. Now Mpumalanga health authorities have gone to court in an urgent bid to force them to be isolated in hospital to prevent the chance of their spreading the disease.
The husband and wife – known as Patient 1 and Patient 2 – continued to live their lives undeterred – travelling in taxis and attending church services and so on – without the basic precaution of wearing face masks which had been issued to them. A doctor stated in court papers that the man had refused to have treatment, citing religious grounds, and his wife was following suit.
The Mpumalanga MEC for Health also asked for an order authorising the Sheriff to ensure that the couple were admitted to a TB hospital.
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