Three passengers and seven crew members who fell ill aboard an Emirates plane flying from Dubai to New York City were taken to local hospitals for further medical care and evaluation, Emirates said in a statement on Tuesday night.
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
Media Statement #2: Emirates can confirm that all passengers have disembarked from flight #EK203. All passengers were screened by local health authorities prior to disembarkation. 3 passengers & 7 crew were transferred to the hospital for further medical care and evaluation. 1/4— Emirates Airline (@emirates) September 5, 2018
The incident began when passengers and crew members among the 521 people on board reported fevers and coughing, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, upon landing at 9:12am local time the plane was taken away from the terminal so that medical personnel “could board the aircraft to evaluate the situation and provide immediate assistance.”
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Although the CDC initially estimated 100 people were sick, a spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio later tweeted that a total of 19 people were reported ill, of which 10 were hospitalised.
All the passengers are off and have been evaluated. 19 sick. 10 to hospital and 9 refused medical attention. Health officials are processing tests now to determine the cause. Symptoms still pointing to the flu. https://t.co/ZWURgb68bJ— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) September 5, 2018
A number of passengers on-board the aircraft posted updates in social media as it sat on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport, among them American rapper and television host Vanilla Ice.
So I just landed from Dubai and now there is like tons of ambulances and fire trucks and police all over the place pic.twitter.com/i9QLh6WyJW— Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) September 5, 2018