Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs and health authorities are investigating a death, and running tests to confirm the victim had a communicable disease.

Sharon Miracle, hospital spokeswoman, said, "We are investigating a suspicious communicable disease."

The patient arrived at the emergency room Friday and later died. The patient was put in an isolation room as a precautionary measure. Staff and family wore personal protective gear.

The El Paso County Department of Health and Environment is running tests to determine what the patient had, but representatives will not speculate on a diagnosis or cause of death.

Miracle says it's too early to say whether it might be tuberculosis.

The health department told the hospital it would not have test results until early next week.

Tuberculosis, particularly anti-drug resistant strains, has attracted worldwide attention since an Atlanta lawyer named Andrew Speaker was quarantined at National Jewish Hospital last week.

Medical experts say TB is significantly less contagious than flu, SARS and other maladies that have led to airport alerts.