Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 34; Flight Crew Total 2850; Flight Crew Type 2850
Situational Awareness; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy; Human Factors
45 minutes into the flight we received a Dispatch message that Passenger X in seat X5 has tested positive for COVID. Passenger X was traveling with 3 others which all were in row X. I contacted medlink and was disconnected. I asked my entire crew if they had any experience with this which none of them had and I hadn't either. I asked Dispatch for the name of the passenger and protocol to follow. I retried medlink and followed their instructions to minimize contact with Passenger X and get row X off before all others. We asked for priority handling. Dispatch informed us the station will meet us at the gate. Before getting to the gate we asked all passengers to stay seated with seat belts on at gate arrival for a medical situation. I opened the cockpit door to make sure everyone was complying and only Passenger Y wasn't. I said 'Please everyone stay seated' and he sat back down. Later he made a rude comment deplaning and complained to Customer Service. We deplaned row X only and met them and Customer Service in the jet way to assess Passenger X. Passenger X was a young woman that had COVID a few months ago and was 100% healthy. Customer Service followed them to baggage claim for another test. Customer Service cleared us to deplane so I made a PA explaining the situation. Customer Service informed me many people that have had COVID in the past test a false positive.
Received Dispatch message indicating passenger in [seat] X5 received an airport COVID test that came back positive. We were located about 1 hour from ZZZ.  Continued towards ZZZ; declared a medical issue on board indicating positive COVID passenger. ATC turned us into a priority handling.  Coordination through medlink provided some guidance and we were met at the gate by appropriate personnel to evaluate the passenger.  Passengers were informed of the medical issue and told of the possible positive test at the gate. ZZZ supervisors cleared us to continue our trip.
Air carrier flight crew reported a passenger who had tested positive for COVID-19 was on the flight.