Ten people have been taken ill after an Emirates airline jetliner arrived at New York’s JFK airport. The plane was quarantined as those on board were checked by health officials. Several people were taken to the hospital.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that initially, about 100 people including some crew had complained of illness, reports BBC.
Flight 203 from Dubai arrived at 09:10 local time (13.10 GMT) with 521 passengers on board. Emergency vehicles were seen on the runway as it landed.
Soon afterward, Emirates airline tweeted that the sick passengers were being attended to and those who were unaffected would be allowed to leave the plane.
Statement: Emirates can confirm that about 10 passengers on #EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill. On arrival, as a precaution, they were attended to by local health authorities. All others will disembark shortly. The safety & care of our customers is our first priority. — Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 5, 2018
Statement: Emirates can confirm that about 10 passengers on #EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill. On arrival, as a precaution, they were attended to by local health authorities. All others will disembark shortly. The safety & care of our customers is our first priority.
— Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 5, 2018
The CDC said in a statement that is was “aware of an Emirates flight from Dubai that arrived this morning at JFK”.
“Approximately 100 passengers, including some crew on the flight, complained of illness including cough and some with fever.
“CDC public health officers are working with… officials to evaluate passengers including taking temperatures and making arrangements for transport to local hospitals those that need care.”
Later Eric Phillips, spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, confirmed that the sick people were on their way to the hospital.
Larry Coben, a passenger on the plane, posted pictures on Twitter of unaffected passengers being checked as they disembarked.
Deplaning and having temperature taken pic.twitter.com/MVxWqJPLTe — Larry Coben (@LarryCoben) September 5, 2018
Deplaning and having temperature taken pic.twitter.com/MVxWqJPLTe
— Larry Coben (@LarryCoben) September 5, 2018
ABC News reports that the pilot raised concerns prior to landing that some of the passengers were coughing and experiencing high temperatures.
Food poisoning is suspected as a cause.
But Mr Phillips said that some of the passengers had originally come from the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, which was currently experiencing a flu outbreak, and that this was also being considered as a possible cause.
