Health officials monitoring case of tuberculosis in Tacoma woman who has refused treatment

(Tacoma News) Health officials are monitoring a case of active tuberculosis in a Tacoma woman who has declined treatment, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department. Washington averages about 200 cases of active TB per year, with about 20 of those cases occurring in Pierce County. TB infections usually affect a person’s lungs but can also happen in other parts of the body. It is curable with medication but can result in death if left untreated. Most people who are treated with the proper medication fully recover from the illness.