MULTIPLE PLT RPT; MD88; ATL-BWI. WHEN AN EXTREMELY SICK PAX BOARDED; HE WENT STRAIGHT TO LAVATORY; STAYED THERE FOR TKOF; CLB. AGENT BOARDED PAX FOR HIS SEAT; 1 PAX TOO MANY. DIVERT TO CLT. ILL PAX SAT ON CABIN ATTENDANT JUMP SEAT; HOSPITAL CLT.

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FLT X LEFT ATLANTA ENRTE TO BALTIMORE WITH A FULL PAX COUNT; PLUS 1 EXTRA PAX; WHO WAS IN THE FIRST CLASS LAVATORY FROM PUSHBACK TO LEVELOFF. THE MISTAKE WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE PAX CAME OUT OF THE LAVATORY AND DID NOT HAVE A SEAT. WHEN BOARDING IN ATL; THIS PAX IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE FIRST CLASS LAVATORY AND REMAINED THERE. HE DID SO BECAUSE HE WAS EXTREMELY SICK. WHEN A SEAT COUNT WAS DONE; SINCE HE WAS NOT OCCUPYING HIS SEAT; THE GATE AGENT RELEASED IT TO A STANDBY PAX. ONCE AT CRUISING ALT (FL280); I WAS INFORMED BY THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT THAT WE HAD A PROB. I LEFT THE COCKPIT TO TALK TO THIS PAX TO OBTAIN THE FACTS. UPON SEEING THIS PERSON; MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS TO ASK MYSELF WHY ANYONE WOULD ALLOW THIS ILL OF A PERSON TO FLY? THIS PAX LOOKED LIKE HE WAS TERMINALLY ILL. HIS CLOTHES WERE TATTERED AND SOILED. HE WAS UNABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON MY QUESTIONS OR GIVE A CLR RESPONSE. A PA WAS MADE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. THE LAVATORY WHICH HE UTILIZED WAS SOILED WITH VOMIT IN THE SINK. I WENT BACK INTO THE COCKPIT AND CONTACTED THE COMPANY'S OP CTR. AFTER A FEW MINS OF CONVERSATION WITH OPS; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE ON TO BWI. AS THIS DECISION WAS BEING MADE; THE FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT THE ILL PAX WAS AGAIN VOMITING. THIS THEN LED ME TO THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO CLT TO GET THIS MAN TO A QUALIFIED MEDICAL FACILITY. THE EMT PERSONNEL TOOK A BRIEF LOOK AT HIM AND IMMEDIATELY SENT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. I PUT THIS MAN IN THE FORWARD FLT ATTENDANT JUMP SEAT FOR 3 REASONS: 1) TO ALLOW THE FLT ATTENDANT TO GIVE HIM ATTN UNTIL WE LANDED. 2) TO ISOLATE HIM FROM OTHER PAX IN CASE HE MAY HAVE A CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS. 3) TO HAVE HIM AT THE FRONT DOOR SO THAT THE EMT'S COULD SEE HIM IMMEDIATELY UPON LNDG. ONCE THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT; ALL OF THE NECESSARY AGENCIES INVOLVED DID A SUPERB JOB IN ASSISTING ME GETTING THE ACFT SAFELY ON THE GND. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY A PRESSURED GATE AGENT TRYING TO GET THE ACFT OUT ON TIME; INSTEAD OF ENSURING AN ACCURATE PAX COUNT. EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT WAS OVERSOLD; HE BROUGHT ME FINAL PAPERWORK THAT SHOWED A PLANE THAT WAS NOT FULL. WHEN THE SEATS WERE AGAIN COUNTED AND 1 SEAT WAS SHOWN TO BE EMPTY; RATHER THAN FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE TICKET; THE GATE AGENT GOT A STANDBY PAX AND PUT HIM IN THE EMPTY SEAT. IF THE AGENT HAD CHKED THE COMPUTER; HE WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT THE SEAT WAS ALREADY ASSIGNED. ALTHOUGH HAVING TOO MANY PAX IS RARE; INACCURATE PAX COUNTS ARE COMMON PLACE. BECAUSE THE AIRLINE HAS FINAL PAPERWORK THAT USUALLY ALLOWS FOR '4 PAX OR 320 LBS OF BAGS;' THE GATE AGENTS USE THIS TO GET THE ACFT OUT ON TIME WITH INACCURATE PAX COUNTS.