Comments on: TB Patient: Quarantine Conditions "Insane"

Feds Frantically Search For 80 Passengers, 27 Crew On Flights With Infected Man

[susanhelit]

His initial doctor had no way to know for sure what the guy had - there was no reason to think it was the rarest form of TB out there, nor a reason to bump his test ahead of others. If the guy had any intelligence/compassion/consideration at all, he still wouldn't have flown. But once they knew - for him to run into an airport and sneak home, knowing then that he was infecting everyone - that's just unforgivable.

I place the blame for all of this solely on our idiot groom.

[toldyouso21]

This man is THE most STUPID person in the world!
Those that realized the danger he posed to others are next as the most STUPID people in the world!
He is a selfish, arrogant b stard!
Posted by ssporleder at 02:31 PM : May 30, 2007
*********************************

What is interesting is that this man was not only not supposed to fly but actually, should also not have been in public in the US. The story is not fully known, but it looks like the man may have been diagnosed as having TB due to a skin test and then due to X-rays. His results then were sent away to be confirmed. IN the meantime, his dr. advised him not to fly, but did not know what strain the man had.

While he was gone, the CDC finds out the man has a rare and deadly strain--they try to find him and learn he has flown out of the country, the track him down, tell him the news and tell him to stay put.

They do not pursue criminal charges due to embarassing questions about why his dr. handled the case so cavelierly and due to any time lag they may have caused by not culturing his sputum out
.

This is my take, otherwise, the man would not only have been forbidden to fly, but also forbidden to be in contact with any other human without a mask and he would have been monitored. The fact that everyone acted after the fact indicates everyone only found out the real deal after the fact. STill....it does not excuse him leaving Rome AFTER he knew he was a carrier of such a deadly disease.

[kimec4-2009]

I agree he should be held criminally negligient-he knowingly flew after being told he could not, and then to get back into the states he flew into Canada. Regardless of how low the risk is, he still jeopardized the health of innocent people-what if there were infants or elderly people on the plane that have lower immune systems? It could be devastating for them, if not fatal?

[nyckate]

Gee - you mean in the time since 9-11 Bush has NOT made us safer? This is furter proof that Bush and Homeland Security are not only useless but a danger to the nation --- That a dangerously ill contagious man fooled US Security is not acceptable.

Shocking -NOT

[susanhelit]

He should be criminally charged - he knowingly carried an infectious, deadly and treatment resistant disease to many innocent people.

He should be charged the money the CDC has to pay to track down and test all of his potential victims.

He should have to pay each of those victims for the lost work time they have to spend to be tested, and a little something for their worry and whatever precautions those more considerate people take to make sure they don't infect anyone else until they find out whether or not they got TB.

And his name and photo should be publicized so he can finally realize what a jackhole he was to decide his vacation, and his desire to go home was more important than a few hundred people's health and lives.

[asor1-2009]

"to Montreal, then drove into the United States at the Champlain, N.Y., border crossing."

This is really WAY beyond belief. When we cross into or out of Canada, we are treated very suspiciously. We've had our lunches destroyed because they contained a beef sandwich...
I understand this, but how did this selfish moron get through without a problem. Why did the CDC not have an Alert posted at all entry's to the USA?

[lorinkundert]

That man should be in prison, and if someone dies as a result he should be charged with murder.

[drummer94]

Let's see. Here's a guy that does something he knows he shouldn't, but does it anyway when people tell him not to, and has no regard of the casualities and long term effects of his actions. Hmmm. Sound familiar?

[erasmus6]

It is a scary thought when they can't keep one man (who they knew had TB) from travelling and possibly spreading it to others. What are they going to do when more people start getting it? What about when there is a real crisis like, Ebola or something. I think we will be in BIG trouble.

[ssporleder]

"Clearly, everybody here has fallen for the media spin they're putting on this story. In a week, we'll have found out that this guy was a victim of ineptness of the CDC.
Posted by godofredo29"

This is already clear - themedical profession and CDC started this off by NOT giving the later on STUPID, SELFISH man the correct information!

[godofredo29]

Clearly, everybody here has fallen for the media spin they're putting on this story. In a week, we'll have found out that this guy was a victim of ineptness of the CDC.

[apdepetris]

"I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person," he told the paper. "This is insane to me that I have an armed guard outside my door when I've cooperated with everything other than the whole solitary-confinement-in-Italy thing."

What a jerk. He complied with everything except that part about not flying. Hey, wait a minute, there wasn't any other part! I hope that no one else contracts the disease from this extremely selfish individual.

Hey, anyone read Stephen King's THE STAND? This is one of the main ways the superflu was spread in the book - one contanimated person on an international flight transmitting it to the passengers and the stewardesses who in turn brought the disease to their respective countries. And then the stewardesses passing it on to passengers on their other flights.

Let's hope the chance of transmission to others is low. If you think about it, a person with a highly communicable disease flying on a commercial airplane could cause an epidemic fairly quickly. I think this guy gave terrorists some new ideas.

[thurguy53]

I don't think that the CDC is being entirely forthcoming with information about the extent of the problem with drug resistant TB. In today's article about the groom being detained by the CDC because he has XDR-TB, they would have you believe that this is an isolated incident and the first of it's kind in the United States. There is at least one other similar case in Phoenix (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/06/142246). Is this a case of CDC trying to downplay the problem with XDR-TB or are they just unaware of the other cases in the US (and, if that is the case, why?).

[secundus2]

"Typhoid Mary" was so badly educated that she continued to take jobs as a cook/housekeeper around NYC. This fellow is educated, he says, but his behavior is the same as Mary's.

[ssporleder]

This man is THE most STUPID person in the world!
Those that realized the danger he posed to others are next as the most STUPID people in the world!
He is a selfish, arrogant b stard!
The doctors, CDC, etc. were lazy in their "efforts" to get this man away from the public - he was not hiding - they could have easily detained him!
MORONS - all of them.

[mariep2282]

Why isn't this man being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law?? Ignoring orders from doctors and the CDC and KNOWINGLY infecting tons of people is not an act of an "intelligent" person, but a bioterrorist. I am outraged that no legal action will be taken against this man.

[ajaxrose1]

I'm sorry for the guy having such a nasty disease, but for crying outloud he SHOULD be quarantined! What a jerk!

[seaslew]

Now i see why ppl dislike Americans so much,
Keep in mind the MEDIA is maybe half correct on what they printed here.
but as they say, when in America, do as the Americans do,,, take advantage of the system.

[toldyouso21]

I'm a very well-educated, successful, intelligent person. This is insane to me that I have an armed guard outside my door when I've cooperated with everything other than the whole solitary-confinement-in-Italy thing."


Yeah. YOU are soooooo smart, that you ran your mouth to the press and admitted you snuck back into America AND admitted you were told not to fly and endanger others in Rome and did it anyway. You are sooooo smart that you did not realize the public outrage at your actions and attitudes, may cause us to eventually find out who you are, and demand you be fined or imprisoned or both. You sir "TB Ralph" are a Putz and not at all bright.

[dan9111]

Americans are "...endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights...".

Maybe we should ban peanuts and perfume? Oh, cigarettes too. Somebody could get hurt.