N.H. officials frustrated by man with TB who refuses to isolate

Key Points:

• New Hampshire's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is facing a significant budget crunch, needing to cut over $25 million annually, complicating efforts to manage a tuberculosis (TB) case involving an uncooperative individual, Nearro F. Forbes.
• Forbes, who has active TB and a history of criminal offenses, has repeatedly failed to comply with isolation orders, prompting a court order mandating at least 30 days of isolation and medical treatment to protect public health.
• Public health officials have exhausted less restrictive isolation options and lack funding for a 24/7 security detail to enforce compliance, leading to discussions about potentially imprisoning Forbes as a last resort.
• The state identified over 650 people potentially exposed to TB linked to Forbes, with at least two additional active cases confirmed, but has not updated the public on further testing or the 2025 TB case count.
• Legal and public health authorities continue to navigate the balance between individual rights, public safety, and limited resources, with possible misdemeanor charges for Forbes pending and uncertainty about his detention location if arrested on a separate warrant.