TB 'detention' case awaits decision
of an original four patients with a life-threatening form of tuberculosis who have gone to the Cape High Court with their claim that their detention is inconsistent with the constitution, will have to wait for a final decision.
On Tuesday Judge Bennie Griesel, on the bench with Judge James Yekiso, reserved judgment in the patients' case against Health MEC Pierre Uys, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and other government ministers.
One of the original four died last year of extremely drug-resistant TB ( XDR-TB ) and the court heard yesterday that a second had died last week, leaving only two applicants, both with XDR-TB.
Neither, it emerged, are currently in isolation at Brooklyn Chest Hospital.

New test for XDR-TB
A new test for extreme drug resistant tuberculosis ( XDR-TB ) to be launched in South Africa next month is expected to reduce the cost of testing for the disease, the health minister said in Cape Town on Thursday.

TB patients sought after escape from hospital

\"Nineteen patients escaped yesterday (Saturday) after a security guard who has since been suspended, allegedly allowed one patient to go shopping. We are worried that they may put others at risk,\" said department spokesperson Sizwe Kupela.

Ten escaped TB patients found
The 19 patients escaped after a security guard, who has since been suspended, allowed one patient to go shopping.
Others then demanded that they also be let out of the hospital, and overpowered security guards.

Security beefed up for TB patients
Security measures have been beefed up at the Jose Pearson TB hospital in Port Elizabeth following threats of possible protests by patients, the Eastern Cape department of health said on Friday.
Twenty-two multi-drug-resistant and extreme-drug-resistant TB patients were arrested on Wednesday for public violence and assault.

Rapid test for drug resistant TB
A two-pronged initiative aims to speed up diagnosis and treatment of people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis ( MDR-TB ) in developing countries.

New TB test to hit Africa
A new test to quickly diagnose drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis will be rolled out in Lesotho and three other African countries this year.