California tuberculosis patient found, arrested

FRESNO, Calif. (KABC) -- A Northern California transient who was charged after authorities say he refused treatment for tuberculosis has been found and arrested, according to San Joaquin County officials.

Eduardo Rosas Cruz, 25, was arrested on Monday during a traffic stop in Kern County, prosecutors said.

Cruz was diagnosed with tuberculosis in March after he went to an emergency room and complained of a severe cough.

After he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, medical staff told him to stay in a Stockton motel room, where a health worker would deliver his medication and watch him take it. But officials say he took off, ending his treatment.

Authorities say Rosas Cruz comes from an area of Mexico known for a drug-resistant strain of TB. He now has to be medically cleared before being sent back to San Joaquin County, and that could take weeks, according to prosecutors.

Tuberculosis is a common but infectious disease that can be fatal if not treated properly. The disease can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.