Policewoman, 35, dies after contracting tuberculosis when thug spat in her face
Ukrainian officer wasn't diagnosed until it was too late and chemo left her malnourished
A POLICEWOMAN died after a thug spat in her face as she arrest him -- causing her to contract a fatal contagious disease.
Arina Koltsova from Kiev, Ukraine, became ill after arresting a suspect on New Year's Day - unaware that he was suffering from Tuberculosis (TB).
The thug spat on her as she was detaining him - causing her to contract the deadly disease which affects the lungs and kills about half of those untreated.
With a busy schedule and not realising that the man was fatally infected, the policewoman remained untreated for too long and even her colleagues did not realise how sick she was until she finally collapsed one day at work.
Her on-duty partner, Officer Mikhail Kindrakevich, wrote: "She became ill after New Year's day.
"She had arrested this guy and he spat in her face. Some time later she collapsed.
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"She had received treatment. She underwent chemotherapy, she was fed food through an IV drip and she had lost a lot of weight."
The chemotherapy, often used to treat acute cases of tuberculosis, weakened Arina and caused her to become severely undernourished.
A recent selfie shows her gaunt face and the short hair that she had towards the end of her life.
One of her unnamed friends said: "Arina wanted to change something for our country.
Joining the police was a conscious choice, she wanted to change things for the better."
Arina Koltsova died on July 25 and was buried in Kiev two days later.
Her unit said of her on its social media page: "This is an irreplaceable loss for the whole of Kiev police, fond memories of Arina will remain in our hearts forever."
This is an irreplaceable loss for the whole of Kiev police
It is currently unclear whether or not the man who spat in her face will face charges.
Local media in the Ukraine reports how 35-year-old Arina had become well-known in the capital Kiev after pictures of her good looks started circulating on social media.
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