Andrew Speaker Is Tuberculosis In Action
A man with a drug-resistant disease gets on two transatlantic flights in a matter of weeks, exposing unwitting passengers to his possibly deadly germs. It's summer blockbuster season! Unfortunately, that tale doesn't start Clive Owen or Nicholas Cage, but rather one Andrew Speaker, currently being held in federal quarantine in Denver with nasty cases of tuberculosis and hubris both.
Speaker knew he had tuberculosis when he was taking off to Italy for his destination wedding and honeymoon last month; when tests showed he had XDR TB, a contagious form of the classic invalid's bug, the U.S. forbade him to fly back commercially for fear he would infect fellow passengers, according to Reuters. Speaker and his wife defied those orders and flew back through Canada, then rented a car and drove back to the U.S.
Speaker claims he was told by doctors that he shouldn't fly, but was never legally prohibited from doing so (even though doctors still haven't identified where he might have caught XDR-TB from). Ironically, his new father-in-law works for the CDC, even while Speaker is blaming the agency for giving him incomplete information. Welcome to the family, son.
Related Stories:
· TB patient's family defend controversial travel [Reuters]
· Travel Safety [Jaunted]
Leave a Comment
Not yet a member? Click here to become a member.
Already a member? Login below: