Is
it just a fluke, or is it coincidence?
Two
dozen passengers on
a United Airlines flight fell ill, and most of them were just returning
from a cruise.
The
cruise disembarked in Vancouver. The flight was from Vancouver to Houston.
The
illness took place on Friday, May 31. The two dozen affected passengers for
part of a group of approximately 75 people traveling together.
“Several
passengers who had been on the same cruise and did not feel well were on United
Flight 1528 from Vancouver to Houston Friday night,” United told USA TODAY in
an emailed statement. The spokesperson declined to identify the ship. “United
Airlines is actively coordinating with health authorities to address the
situation. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft will be removed from
service and go through a deep cleaning before returning to service. Ensuring
the health and safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority.”
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contacted to assess the situation.
"Public
health officers from CDC’s Houston Port Health Station worked with EMS to
evaluate ill passengers on board," a CDC spokesperson said in an emailed
statement. "Most of the ill passengers reported mild GI symptoms. No
passengers were noted to have a fever during the flight or upon public health
assessment at landing. No passengers met CDC criteria for further public health
follow-up. Passengers from the flight continued with their travel plans."'
Mass illness while traveling is unfortunately nothing new. Earlier this year, about 250 passengers
on a cruise fell ill and were suspected of having the norovirus.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
