A passenger on a JetBlue flight to Palm Beach International Airport from New York’s JFK has been positively diagnosed with the coronavirus, according to Palm Beach Fire Rescue.
The plane landed around 8:30 p.m. last night at PBIA and sat on the runway for hours as first responders called the Department of Health of Palm Beach County.
They say passengers who were near the patient were given instructions on monitoring their health at home.
BREAKING NEWS: @PBFireRescue confirmed 1 man tested positive for #COVID19 #coronavirus . The man and his wife were removed from @JetBlue
once it arrived at PBIA from JFK. Area was sterilized other passengers were released! @wpbf_erin @WPBF_Gianna w/ updates on @WPBF25News pic.twitter.com/MPtrUnirZi
— Wakisha Bailey (@wpbf_wakisha) March 12, 2020
According to PBC fire rescue officials, crews at PBIA are sterilizing the containment area where passengers deplaned. That area was separate from the main airport terminal.
The aircrew and 114 passengers were stuck on the plane for hours.
Just before 11 o’clock, the two people in masks and gloves walked off the plane.
About 30 minutes later, other passengers were allowed off.
Within an hour, all passengers had deplaned and were told to monitor their health over the next couple of days. They were allowed to leave the airport without seeing a doctor.