DENVER —

Tuberculosis traveler Andrew Speaker is "relatively non-contagious," according to new test results released Monday by his doctors at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver.

Speaker, who has extensively drug-resistant TB, also called XDR TB, has never shown any outward symptoms of the disease and has told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he never would have traveled if health officials had told him he posed any risk to his family or others.

"XDR TB patient Andrew Speaker has received three sputum tests, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, negative results have come back from the first two smear tests. We expect, but cannot guarantee, results from the third test late Monday. Three consecutive negative smear tests indicate that a patient is relatively non-contagious," officials from the Denver hospital said in a written statement.

"Generally, multi-drug resistant TB patients at National Jewish are allowed to leave their rooms periodically for short periods of time, wearing an N95-rated mask, to walk outside briefly with an escort and get some fresh air. Drug-resistant TB patients who do venture outside are kept far from patients or any other community members, and pose no threat of infecting others," the hospital said.

"Mr. Speaker's case is far from the typical case at National Jewish, both because of the disease and the media interest. No decision has been made about when or if he will leave his room. We want to emphasize that Mr. Speaker has been completely cooperative with his physicians in making plans for his treatment and movement," hospital officials said.

On Saturday, the hospital said, CDC, Denver city and county health officials hand-delivered a letter to Speaker rescinding the CDC's federal isolation order.

Speaker received a letter from Denver Public Health, dated May 29 ordering that he "be detained" at National Jewish for treatment of TB "until further laboratory tests indicate that your TB is no longer likely to be contagious." This is a standard letter that all TB patients at National Jewish receive, hospital officials said.