Emirates plane briefly quarantined at John F. Kennedy airport after 19 passengers are deemed sick

CLOSE Plane lands at JFK with dozens of sick passengers. AP

An Emirates airline Airbus A380 superjumbo jet was briefly quarantined at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after numerous passengers fell ill on a flight arriving from Dubai early Wednesday.

As many as 100 passengers, including some crew members, "complained of illness, including cough and some with fever," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Emirates confirmed an incident of illness on board Flight 203, which landed in New York around 9:15 a.m. EDT and was sent to a staging area to be inspected by Port Authority and CDC officials. Many passengers had been sent on their ways by 10:45 a.m. EDT, though it took until around noon until all had been evaluated.

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"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 carrier said in a statement.

Ultimately, 19 people were deemed "sick," according to Eric Phillips, spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio.

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

Phillips tweeted at 12:34 p.m. EDT that "all the passengers are off and have been evaluated." Of those who were ill, 10 were hospitalized, and nine "refused medical attention."

"Health officials are processing tests now to determine the cause," Phillips wrote. "Symptoms still pointing to the flu."

"CDC public health officers are working with port authority, EMS and CBP officials to evaluate passengers, including taking temperatures and making arrangements for transport to local hospitals for those that need care," the CDC said in its statement. "Passengers who are not ill will be allowed to continue with their travel plans, and if necessary will be followed up with by health officials."

One person took to Twitter with a description from the plane.

“All we have been told is that some passengers have fallen ill and we should remain in our seats,” said Twitter user Larry Coben.

Coben posted an image of a “row of ambulances” that met the jet at JFK. He followed with another tweet showing flight crew deplaning and walking across the tarmac toward the lineup of emergency vehicles.

Statement by Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton on Emirates Flight 203 at John F. Kennedy Airport. #JFK#JFKairporthttps://t.co/Fm3ESnzVSi — Kennedy Airport (@JFKairport) September 5, 2018

Coben said passengers on the jet were asked to fill out a form from the CDC that was titled "Passenger Locator Information Page."

By 10:45 a.m. EDT, Coben wrote via Twitter that he was making his way toward passport control. At 11:03 a.m., he said, "Happy to report that I am through customs and on my way home. Others as well."

All passengers being asked to fill out the Center for disease control and prevention form pic.twitter.com/6SidlKx090 — Larry Coben (@LarryCoben) September 5, 2018

The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft.

Emirates is by far the top operator of the model, with more than 100 in its fleet. The seating capacity on the jets vary, but Emirates has three configurations that seat 489, 517 or 615 passengers. The models Emirates flies to New York typically seat either 489 or 517.

BREAKING: An Emirates A380 in quarantine at JFK Airport right now awaiting CDC officials after about 100 passengers became ill with fevers over 100 degrees and coughing. Flight 203 had just arrived from Dubai. pic.twitter.com/lyUgNbMaEW — Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) September 5, 2018

IN PHOTOS: The world's Airbus A380 fleet

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2PFDPNY</s>An Emirates airline Airbus A380 superjumbo jet was briefly quarantined at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after numerous passengers fell ill on a flight arriving from Dubai early Wednesday.

As many as 100 passengers, including some crew members, "complained of illness including cough and some with fever," according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Emirates confirmed an incident of illness on board Flight 203, which landed in New York around 9:15 a.m. ET and was sent to a staging area to be inspected by Port Authority and CDC officials. It appeared as though many passengers had been sent on their ways by 10:45 a.m. ET, though it took until around noon until all had been evaluated.

"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 carrier said in a statement.

Ultimately, 19 people were deemed "sick," according to Eric Phillips, press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio.

Phillips tweeted at 12:34 p.m. ET that "all the passengers are off and have been evaluated." Of those who were ill, 10 were hospitalized while nine "refused medical attention."

"Health officials are processing tests now to determine the cause," Phillips continued, adding: "Symptoms still pointing to the flu."

"CDC public health officers are working with port authority, EMS, and CBP officials to evaluate passengers including taking temperatures and making arrangements for transport to local hospitals for those that need care," the CDC added in its statement. "Passengers who are not ill will be allowed to continue with their travel plans, and if necessary will be followed up with by health officials."

One apparent passenger on the flight took to Twitter with a description from the plane.

“All we have been told is that some passengers have fallen ill and we should remain in our seats,” said Twitter user Larry Coben.

Coben posted an image of a “row of ambulances” that met the plane at JFK. He followed with another tweet showing flight crew deplaning and walking across the tarmac toward the lineup of emergency vehicles.

Coben then added that passengers still on the plane were being asked to fill out a form from the CDC that was titled "Passenger Locator Information Page."

But by 10:45 a.m. ET, Coben added via Twitter that he was making his way toward passport control. At 11:03 a.m. ET, he added: "Happy to report that I am through customs and on my way home. Others as well."

The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft.

Emirates is by far the top operator of the model, with more than 100 in its fleet. The seating capacity on the planes vary, but Emirates has three configurations that seat 489, 517 or 615 passengers. The models Emirates flies to New York typically seat either 489 or 517.

This file photo from March 2, 2016, shows an Emirates airline Airbus A380 touching down in Auckland, New Zealand.</s>On Wednesday, NBC News reported an Emirates flight arriving from Dubai and landing in John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City was being quarantined after many passengers reported feeling sick.

In a statement, Emirates confirmed “about 10 passengers” were taken ill, and as a precaution, were attended to by local health authorities. NBC first reported that 100 passengers felt sick, but Emirates later estimated a much lower number.

Emirates flight 203 arrived at JFK from Dubai and was taken to a staging area, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Port Authority Police awaited its arrival.

The Press Secretary for Mayor Bill de Blasio, Eric Phillips, tweeted that the mayor received a preliminary briefing and the plane has been quarantined.

Larry Coben, an unconfirmed passenger on the flight, has been tweeting his experience and has since deplaned.

According to Phillips’ tweet, 432 passengers out of 521 aboard, have been “cleared” and eight passengers are still being treated.

All passengers have now deplaned, according to Phillips. He wrote that 19 passengers in total are sick, 10 have gone to a hospital and nine refused medical attention. Symptoms of the illness point to the flu.

In a second statement, Emirates has confirmed all passengers have disembarked from the flight. A total of three passengers and seven crew members were transferred to a hospital.

Sept. 5, 2018, 2:01 p.m.: This story has been updated.</s>A plane from Dubai has been quarantined after landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after at least 10 passengers reported feeling sick on the flight, according to airport and airline officials familiar with the matter.

Emirates Airline flight 203 landed Wednesday morning after 9 a.m. Eastern, and Port Authority Police and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had set up a staging area to check passengers, airport officials said. A spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also said the plane...</s>An Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai was held on the tarmac at JFK Airport on Wednesday morning. The decision was made by Port Authority after several passengers began feeling sick during the course of the 14-hour flight. For safety precautions, air traffic control requested that the Airbus A380 come to a halt away from Terminal 4, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made the initial contact with the passengers shortly after 9 a.m. It's unclear what made the passengers feel sick, but the airline told U.S. officials that it could be related to food poisoning, even if passengers from the flight claim that they witnessed others suffer from flu-like symptoms, according to CBS New York.

A tweet by Emirates Airlines claims that only 10 people, three crew and seven passengers, were taken to a Jamaica Hospital in Queens. However, the CDC said in a statement that about "100 people complained of feeling sick on Emirates Flight 521, and that their symptoms included cough and fever." “Even well before the flight when we were in line getting on board (in Dubai), there were people that were obviously very sick that should not have been allowed to get on board in the first place,” Emirates passenger Erin Sykes told CBS. Sykes posted several videos to her Twitter account that show us what was happening inside the plane after it landed.

Sometime around 11 a.m. passengers were escorted off the plane and evaluated by the CDC. After filling out a few forms and undergoing several health checks, some passengers were allowed to continue with their travel plans, although others were held for further evaluation. The reason why these passengers and crew fell ill, whether food poisoning or flu, has not been released. However, an early-morning tweet from the New York mayor’s office claimed that the flight had made a stop in flu-ridden Mecca on its way from Dubai. It was later confirmed that this was a non-stop flight and that information was not accurate. We will update this story as more information is available.</s>With hundreds of passengers on Emirates Flight 203 from Dubai to New York off the plane and evaluated, health officials will try to pinpoint the cause of the illness that sent 10 passengers to the hospital and left dozens of other passengers reportedly feeling sick.

The investigation of what went wrong will involve the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state, local and airport officials.

Officials will zero in on passengers on the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet who got sick as well as those who didn't to try to determine the source of the illness, according to Dr. Robert Amler, dean of New York Medical College’s School of Health Sciences and Practice and a former CDC chief medical officer and New York Regional Health Administrator.

MORE: Emirates plane briefly quarantined at JFK airport after 19 passengers are deemed sick

"This is really medical detective work,'' he said.

Among the questions that will be asked, Amler said:
• Were the passengers who went to the hospital seated in a particular section of the plane or spread throughout the plane?
• What did the affected passengers eat on the plane?
• At what point in the long flight did they get sick? And did they all get sick at once or was it gradual?

"In a disease investigation of any kind, you begin with trying to say what is common on the sick and still was rare among the well?'' Amler said.

IN PICTURES: Emirates flight quarantined at John F. Kennedy airport (story continues below)

The early signs point to flu symptoms, according to a spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. The CDC reported that many passengers complained of cough and fever.

Investigators will pay special attention, of course, to test results from passengers who ended up in the hospital. The airline identified three passengers and seven crew members sick enough to be sent to the hospital. The mayor's office said it identified 19 ill passengers, with nine refusing medical attention.

"The results of those tests can also be very, very helpful,'' Amler said. "Is this some kind of infection? Is this some kind of toxic exposure to some chemical in the plane? Could be this be some kind of mold exposure, or some other kind of food or water borne exposure?''

The good news, Amler said, is that officials are trained on how to investigate these situations. There are regular drills.

"This kind of scenario is a well rehearsed one,'' he said. "Every member of the team is going to know what their expectations are.''

Amler said the investigation is not likely to drag on.

"Typically after a few days they should be getting their arms around at least the most likely scenario,'' he said.

After Flight 203 landed, the plane was taken to a location away from the terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to a statement from the CDC. Medical personnel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention boarded the aircraft to evaluate the situation and provided immediate assistance before passengers deplaned and were processed by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

By early Wednesday afternoon, Emirates had its A380 back and announced a three-hour delay on the return flight to Dubai.

The CDC said it will provide updates as they become available.</s>One of the largest planes in the world flying from Dubai was met by police, ambulances and firetrucks at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday when nearly two dozen passengers and crew members reported feeling ill during the 14-hour flight, officials said.

Emirates Flight 203, an Airbus 380, landed at approximately 9:12 a.m. from Dubai and 19 passengers and crew members reported symptoms that included coughing, a headache, sore throat, fever and other flu-like symptoms, New York City health officials said.

“It was two levels and when we were boarding the main level, there were just dozens of people coughing and by mid-flight, it felt like a flying infirmary,” said passenger Erin Sykes. “It was like a symphony of coughing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention originally reported that as many as 100 people on the flight said they felt ill.

Nearly three hours later Emirates Airline confirmed that 10 of the 549 crew members and passengers — which included rapper Vanilla Ice who recorded the 1990 hit single “Ice Ice Baby” — and crew members were transferred to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, while nine refused treatment.

“All passengers were screened by the local health authorities prior to disembarkation, and three passengers and seven crew members were transferred to the hospital for further medical care and evaluation,” an Emirates Airline spokesperson said in a statement. “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.

Passengers being removed and evaluated from Emirates Flight 203 from Dubai at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sept. 5, 2018 after multiple passengers complained of illness.Larry Coben / via Twitter

A spokesperson at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center said in a statement that the 10 ill passengers and crew members were “immediately isolated and evaluated for their symptoms.”

Dr. Oxiris Barbot, the acting commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said at a news conference that the agency had obtained respiratory samples from the 10 patients. Those samples were being tested at the city’s public health lab, and they expected results late Wednesday night.

“It looks like this is probably influenza,” said Dr. Barbot. “But again, until we have our final results late tonight, we won’t be able to give a final determination of what the underlying cause of this illness is.”

Barbot said all the patients who were quarantined are currently stable and are even “being fed pizza.”

The illness apparently also came with stomach issues, forcing crew members to triage the restrooms.

“The bathrooms were in high-demand to the point where they actually shut down a couple of bathrooms,” said Sykes, a passenger.

Demetre Daskalakis, the deputy commissioner for disease control at New York City’s Department of Health, recommended that travelers wash their hands and get vaccinated for the flu before departing on a trip.

The CDC, meanwhile, said that passengers who had been evaluated and released should call their health care provider and local health department if they develop any symptoms.

A representative for Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, confirmed that the rapper was on the flight after the star of the home improvement show “The Vanilla Ice Project” tweeted about being on the plane.

Van Winkle’s representative said the rapper was released with the other passengers because he did not exhibit any symptoms. He had already departed JFK Airport by 4 p.m.

Officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement that the A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world, was taken to a location away from the terminal so emergency officials could evaluate the situation.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the president had been briefed and will continue to monitor the situation.

Diala Makki was traveling first-class on Flight 203 en route to New York Fashion Week when she learned from flight crew that a number of people had become sick on board and passengers were to be detained until officials made checks.

“The Emirates cabin crew were super-helpful, they were not in panic mode, which was amazing,” Makki, 36, said in an interview outside of JFK Airport. “Then we got the American officials check every one of us until we got out. They dealt with it really well.”

Makki, a television host from Dubai, said she got “just a little bit scared” through the entire experience and was aware of reports of 100 people sick.

“That’s what I heard, but the cabin crew told me it was 10, so I don’t know,” she added.

An Emirates Airline spokesperson said that the A380’s return flight to Dubai would be delayed by at least three hours.</s>An Emirates airline Airbus A380 superjumbo jet was briefly quarantined at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after numerous passengers fell ill on a flight arriving from Dubai early Wednesday.

Initial reports from NBC New York said up to 100 passengers fell ill, but a subsequent statement from Emirates put that number at just "about" 10. The discrepancy was not immediately clear.

Emirates Flight 203 landed in New York around 9:15 a.m. ET before it was sent to a staging area to be inspected by Port Authority and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials. It appeared as though passengers had been sent on their ways by 10:45 a.m. ET.

In its statement, Emirates said:

"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."

It was not immediately clear what caused the passengers to become ill.

One apparent passenger on the flight took to Twitter with a description from the plane.

“All we have been told is that some passengers have fallen ill and we should remain in our seats,” said a Twitter user going by the name of Larry Coben.

Coben posted an image of a “row of ambulances” that met the plane at JFK. He followed with another tweet showing flight crew deplaning and walking across the tarmac toward the lineup of emergency vehicles.

Coben then added that passengers still on the plane were being asked to fill out a form from the CDC that was titled "Passenger Locator Information Page."

But by 10:45 a.m. ET, Coben added via Twitter that he was making his way toward passport control. At 11:03 a.m., he added: "Happy to report that I am through customs and on my way home. Others as well."

The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft.

Emirates is by far the top operator of the model, with more than 100 in its fleet. The seating capacity on the planes vary, but Emirates has three configurations that seat 489, 517 or 615 passengers. The models Emirates flies to New York typically seat either 489 or 517.

This file photo from March 2, 2016, shows an Emirates airline Airbus A380 touching down in Auckland, New Zealand.</s>An international flight out of Dubai was quarantined Wednesday morning after it landed at New York City’s JFK Airport with multiple sick passengers.

The exact number of passengers who had fallen ill on Emirates Flight 203 was not immediately clear. The airline reported in a statement that 10 passengers were sick.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement released to the media, said 100 of approximately 521 passengers, including some of the flight crew, complained of illness including fever and coughing.

The CDC said it is working with the Port Authority, EMS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Actions being taken include taking passengers’ temperatures and arranging transportation to local hospitals.

A photo reportedly taken by a passenger onboard the flight at JFK Airport shows a number of emergency vehicles outside.

“Passengers who are not ill will be allowed to continue with their travel plans, and if necessary will be followed up with by health officials,” the CDC said.

Eric Phillips, press secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, tweeted around 11 a.m. that 10 passengers had been taken to Jamaica Hospital in Queens. By noon, he said 432 people had been removed from the plane and cleared. Eight others remained sick and receiving treatment at the airport.

CBS New York, citing a government source briefed on the situation, reported that there is no evidence of a security or terror issue.

One woman on Twitter, identifying herself as a passenger on the plane, has said that those sickened were ill before boarding the plane and that she requested a face mask but they didn’t have any.

“The passengers were sick before they got on board. This is 100% not food poisoning,” @SykesStyle tweeted with a video showing passengers on the plane being addressed by an official.

@Emirates #emirates #emirates203 The passengers were sick before they got on board. This is 100% not food poisoning. I asked for a mask bf we even took off. pic.twitter.com/LvELQwLLWF — Erin Sykes (@SykesStyle) September 5, 2018</s>Authorities are investigating a flight that landed on Wednesday at Kennedy International Airport in New York after dozens of passengers reported feeling ill, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Emirates Airline Flight 203 arrived at the airport in Queens at about 9:20 a.m. from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline wrote on Twitter that about 10 passengers were sick and were attended to by local authorities.

An official with direct knowledge of the situation said there may be as many as 100 passengers on the plane with symptoms of coughing and vomiting. Two of the crew members were reported to have a high fever, the official said.

Dozens of others were reported coughing, which led the pilot to become concerned and to notify authorities, said a law enforcement official who was not authorized to speak about the unfolding situation and declined to be named. The official could not say whether the two people were related and cautioned the information was still preliminary.
Emirates Flight 203 from Dubai is quarantined briefly after landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport when 19 passengers were deemed sick and others complained of symptoms.