Philadelphia-Bound American Airlines Passengers Quarantined After Showing Flu-Like Symptoms, Customs
Source: WCAU-TV
Twelve passengers arriving at Philadelphia International Airport on two separate American Airlines flights were temporarily quarantined after showing flu-like symptoms, Customs and Border Protection officials said.
Several of the sick passengers were returning from pilgrimages to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on American Airlines flight 755, which originated in Paris. These travelers exhibited similar symptoms to the 19 passengers, also travelling from Mecca, who were quarantined in New York Wednesday morning, according to customs officials.
Additional passengers Philadelphia-bound American Airlines flight 717 from Munich, Germany, also showed flu-like symptoms. They, too, were returning from Mecca.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined and released most of the Philadelphia-bound passengers and crew, customs officials said. Several people are still being medically evaluated by the CDC and local health officials, according to CBP.
Read more: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Philadelphia-Bound-American-Airlines-Passengers-Quarantined-After-Showing-Flu-Like-Symptoms-Customs-Officials-Say--492629321.html
dameatball
(7,394 posts)Both here and in Europe.
brooklynite
(94,358 posts)Flights bringing people back from the Hajj, where millions of people from different countries (with varying degrees of health care quality) are tightly crammed together.
dameatball
(7,394 posts)regnaD kciN
(26,044 posts)Its pretty well-known in the Muslim world that lots of those who go on pilgrimage to Mecca return with various illnesses. Its a well-known consequence of spending several days in very close proximity with large crowds coming from throughout the world. (Not to make an offensive comparison, but the same thing was a near-universal experience at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas back in the 90s.) All the afflicted people had come from Mecca, so this would be no surprise. Now, if several planeloads of people came down with the same ailment when they had not come from a common departure location, there would be reason to be suspicious. But not here.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)EarthFirst
(2,897 posts)Thousands of individuals traveling in community; in close quarters.
Plenty of folks are bound to fall ill...
Mad-in-Mo
(229 posts)Is it "just" flu?
still_one
(92,061 posts)BumRushDaShow
(128,490 posts)Hoping nothing starts spreading.
targetpractice
(4,919 posts)If caught on the plane... Something else, maybe.