Dubai Emirates Flight to JFK New York Quarantined After Passengers Reported Sick
UPDATE: 5:55 p.m. EDT—An Emirates spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek all passengers aboard flight 203 had disembarked from the plane after being screened by local health authorities.
"Three passengers and seven crew members were transferred to the hospital for further medical care and evaluation," the statement said. "Nine passengers underwent additional medical screening at the site near the aircraft and were released afterwards. The rest of the passengers were allowed to leave and clear customs."
The CDC told Newsweek 11 people were taken to the hospital. It remained unclear what the sickness was.
"We are requesting the passengers who have been evaluated and released to call their provider and health department if they edvelop any symptoms, and to give their travel history and report of incident," the CDC said.
UPDATE: 11:11 a.m. EDT—In a statement sent to Newsweek, the CDC said the number of passengers and crew complaining of illness on a flight from Dubai to New York Wednesday morning was approximately 100. The symptoms included cough and fever. The CDC said there were 521 passengers on board the plane, and that health officials were evaluating passengers and taking temperatures before deciding whether to send them to local hospitals or release them.
UPDATE: 10:23 a.m. EDT—Emirates Airline released a statement on Wednesday saying the number of passengers sickened on a flight from Dubai to New York was about 10, not 100, as originally reported.
"Emirates can confirm that about 10 passengers on #EK203 from Dubai to New York were taken ill," the airline wrote. "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."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to Newsweek that it was working with local authorities to investigate the situation.
"CDC is aware of an Emirates flight from Saudi Arabia arriving at JFK this morning with some passengers who are reporting an unspecific illness," Benjamin N. Haynes, senior press officer for the CDC's infectious disease media team, told Newsweek.
Five hundred and twenty-one passengers were aboard the plane, Mayor Bill de Blasio's Press Secretary Eric Phillips said. Health officials boarded the plane and were checking passengers for symptoms. Ten sick passengers were taken off the plane and sent to Jamaica hospital, while another 40 were cleared and others were showing symptoms and being held for treatment, Phillips said. It was unclear what, exactly, the symptoms were.
The New York Police Department Counterterrorism unit wrote on Twitter that it was "monitoring what appears to be a medical situation" at the airport and that it was working with Port Authority and federal partners.
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
Original story:
More than 100 passengers were reported to be ill onboard a flight from Dubai to New York on Wednesday morning, NBC News reported. The mayor's office confirmed the report to the news outlet.
Emirates Flight 203 was quarantined when it landed at JFK Airport at around 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday. First responders awaited the plane and passengers, including some officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to NBC.
The CDC confirmed to Newsweek it was aware of the situation but could not provide further information at the time of publication. Photos posted to social media showed multiple ambulances approaching the plane on the runway.
"People were sick before we even took off from Dubai," passenger Erin Sykes wrote on Twitter in response to a reporter. "Like really nasty colds. I asked the stewardess for a mask bf [before] we even took off but there were none."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's press secretary, Eric Phillips, confirmed on Twitter that the mayor had received "a very preliminary briefing," and that the plane was quarantined and the CDC was on scene. Phillips also said New York City Fire Department ambulances were on the tarmac to transport sick passengers.
"Flight started in Dubai and stopped in Mecca, which is experiencing a flu outbreak," Phillips wrote. "Early indications point to that as a POSSIBILITY."
Emirates did not immediately respond to Newsweek's request for more information.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
