TB-infected South Korean woman removed at $278,000 cost

Immigration officials spent almost $280,000 to avoid a public health emergency by sending home a South Korean woman who withheld information about her highly infectious and untreatable tuberculosis.

A removal order was served on the woman, aged about 60, about a month ago when she was found to have multi-drug-resistant TB.

She could not be removed on a commercial airline and an air ambulance costing $278,000 was used.

The woman was visiting her daughter in Auckland and had applied for a three-month visitor's permit after her first had expired.

Her health deteriorated and when she was found to have TB she was put in an isolation room at Auckland City Hospital.

Labour Department deputy secretary Mary Anne Thompson said the woman was removed because of the risk of her infecting others, the high cost of caring for her and her withholding of information.

"This is a highly contagious disease and the burden on the New Zealand taxpayer would have been significant," she said.

Care for such a case costs about $2700 a day. Medicines to fight the disease can cost up to $75,000 a year.

Auckland medical officer Dr Craig Thornley said several cases of the multi-drug-resistant TB were reported every year, but they were contracted overseas and the disease had not passed from person to person in New Zealand.

"Transmission would be akin to a public health emergency," he said.

Limited information had previously been given by Immigration Minister Paul Swain in answer to a parliamentary question by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, including the air ambulance cost.

The woman was given a visitor's permit for three months, then applied to extend it for another three, but that was declined.

"She didn't tell us she was not well, because we ask those questions. This person had failed to provide all information on her application about her condition," said Ms Thompson.

"She clearly knew she was not well and she still travelled to New Zealand."

The South Korean Government was told she was being sent home so hospital arrangements could be made for her arrival.

Dr Thornley said people with multi-drug-resistant TB "represent a severe risk to the public if people could be exposed to them".

Auckland health board staff were monitoring the people with whom the woman had had contact. None of them had TB.

"About one in 10 people infected with TB develop the disease at some stage, usually decades later."

Mr Peters said of the case: "It's unbelievable the cost involved. [Mr Swain] should explain to people who can't get operations why it is we are putting up with this."
Tuberculosis

* About 400 cases of diagnosed a year in New Zealand each year.

* Curable if treated early with antibiotics.

* Spread by infected droplets and in the air.

* It often takes decades after exposure before illness develops.

* Some cases are resistant to one or more antibiotics.