COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Memorial Hospital and health authorities are investigating a suspicious death from a communicable disease, a spokesman for the hospital said.
Sharon Miracle, hospital spokeswoman, said, “We are investigating a suspicious communicable disease.”
She said it was too early to say whether it might be tuberculosis, because cultures have to grown to determine what the cause of the person’s death.
The patient arrived at the emergency room on Friday and later died. The patient was put in an isolation room and air flows controlled as a precautionary measure. Staff and family wore personal protective gear.
The health department told the hospital it would not have test results until early next week.
“It is much to early to speculate on what it is,” she said.
Tuberculosis, particularly anti-drug resistant strains, has attracted worldwide attention since an Atlanta lawyer named Andrew Speaker was quarantined at National Jewish Hospital last week.
Medical experts say TB is significantly less contagious than flu, SARS and other maladies that have led to airport alerts.
