A flight from Dubai has been quarantined upon landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport after some 100 of the 521 passengers aboard the plane reported feeling sick.
Emirates flight 203 from Dubai landed at JFK around 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday morning. It was quarantined on the runway as Port Authority Police and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention waited in a staging area to check passengers. Ten people have reportedly been taken to the hospital. New York City Mayor’s Office Press Secretary Eric Phillips confirmed on Twitter that the plane had been quarantined after landing at JFK with sick passengers, and the mayor was briefed on the situation.
The pilot reported that two male passengers have extremely high fevers and about 100 passengers are “coughing non-stop,” according to ABC News. Because the plane also stopped in Mecca, Phillips tweeted that the flu may be the culprit, as Mecca is currently experiencing an outbreak. That said, Emirates officials reportedly told U.S. officials that only 10 people were ill and believes this incident was caused by food poisoning.
According to Phillips, the sick passengers are headed to the hospital. The passengers are leaving the plane, but will not be cleared to leave until checked out by health officials.
10 sick people off the plane and heading to Jamaica Hospital. Health officials taking others off one by one checking for symptoms. About 40 cleared and going to customs. A few others showing symptoms and being held for treatment and possible transport to hospital. https://t.co/6X0445ivXy
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) September 5, 2018
FDNY ambulances on the tarmac to transport sick passengers. https://t.co/53AnFS2Ygk
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) September 5, 2018
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