JetBlue passenger from NYC landed in Palm Beach with coronavirus
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A passenger on a JetBlue flight to Palm Beach International Airport that originated in New York City has been positively diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Palm Beach Fire Rescue officials say the Palm Beach County Health Department spoke to all passengers on board. They say passengers who were near the patient were given instructions on monitoring their health.
Crews are sterilizing the containment area where passengers deplaned. That area is separate from the main airport terminal.
The Port Authority in a statement said, "The Port Authority was informed late on Wednesday that a passenger on JetBlue's Flight 254 departing from JFK's Terminal 5 to West Palm Beach earlier that evening alerted the crew upon landing that he'd received notification confirming a positive test of COVID-19. JetBlue immediately commenced additional cleaning of the Gate 7 area, where the flight departed, as well as surrounding gates, the security checkpoints, check-in counters and kiosks, elevators, restrooms and any other area the passenger went through based on security camera footage. This is on top of the enhanced cleaning protocols that have been in have been in place at JFK Airport. These protocols include at least twice daily sanitization of all common and high-touchpoint areas with EPA-approved and CDC-endorsed antiviral disinfectants, in addition to overnight deep cleaning of all terminal areas."
The plane landed around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night from John F. Kennedy Airport.
The aircrew and 114 passengers were together on the flight for a few hours. The passengers said they were told to monitor their health over the next couple of days.
The passengers left the airport without being evaluated by a doctor.
Palm Beach Fire Rescue released a statement saying:
The Palm Beach County Health Department has completed their assessment of the situation and spoken with all passengers on board the commercial aircraft. All CDC and department of health guidelines were followed for a COVID-19 positive patient. At this time passengers in the vicinity of the positive patient were advised of monitoring procedures. The rest of the passengers were released to go home and given directions by Dr. Alonso to call the health department with any medical concerns.
PBIA is sterilizing the limited containment area that the passengers were deplaned, which was a separate location from the main terminals of the airport.
At 8:40pm Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crews responded to a medical incident aboard a commercial aircraft at PBIA. At this time all is under control and the Palm Beach County Health Department is on location evaluating the situation. More information will be released once the health department completes their evaluation the situation.
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