And Alaskan man who is infected with hepatitis C is being charged with attempted murder after spitting on a nurse who was trying to restrain him, The New York Daily News reported.
Police reported that Andre LaFrance, 29, of Wasilla, Alaska, "intentionally transferred a dangerous bodily fluid" onto a female nurse at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
He was admitted after claiming to have suffered an accidental drug overdose, and hospital personnel were in the process of releasing LaFrance after they found no signs of an overdose.
Hepatitis C is a contagious virus, which infects the liver. It is usually transmitted by exposure to infected blood, but contracting the virus from saliva is also a possibility.
Alaska State Trooper Ryan Mattingley reported that LaFrance "claimed to be suicidal and wanted to hurt or kill himself. Staff was attempting to restrain him until troopers could arrive.Andre stated he would spit on the staff if placed in restraints."
The initial charge of attempted murder on LaFrance has since been downgraded in court to third-degree assault and harassment.
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