Arrest Warrant Issued for California Tuberculosis Patient

An arrest warrant has been issued in Stockton, Calif., for a contagious tuberculosis patient whose noncompliance to medical orders makes him a danger to public health.

Authorities are looking for 26-year-old Eduardo Rosas Cruz, who has been diagnosed with Microbacterium tuberculosis, which attacks the lungs and other parts of the body. The disease can be transmitted through coughing and sneezing. It is treated with strong antibiotics, the Stockton Record reports.

Officials fear Cruz, without proper isolation and medical care, is exposing the community to the infection. They also fear he may flee to Mexico.