11 from Emirates flight hospitalized in New York

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11 people on an Emirates airline flight were taken to a New York City hospital for an apparent flu outbreak on Wednesday after scores of passengers and crew complained of feeling sick during a 14-hour trip from Dubai, officials said.

Emirates flight 203, with at least 500 passengers on board, landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport and was quickly surrounded by dozens of emergency vehicles as anxious passengers waited to be evaluated by health officials.

Emergency services arrive at JFK airport after some passengers fell ill on a flight from Dubai, New York, Sept. 5, 2018. /VCG Photo

All those who were hospitalized were in stable condition and none were in need of "extreme" medical attention, said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, New York City's acting health commissioner.

The airline and the mayor's office said 19 people were confirmed ill. Three passengers and seven crew members were sent to the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, and nine other passengers evaluated at the scene were released afterward.

CDC spokesman Benjamin Haynes later said 11 people were taken to the hospital.

The remainder of the passengers were allowed to leave and clear customs, the airline said. All were advised to call a doctor if they developed symptoms later.

Barbot said 106 people initially reported feeling sick during the flight but the "vast majority" were found to be free of any illness when screened.

Passengers are examined by emergency services at JFK airport, New York, Sept. 5, 2018. /VCG Photo

Some passengers in recent days had attended the annual Haj pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula, a region where the flu virus was circulating, and could have contracted the illness there, Barbot said.

It was also possible the virus was transmitted between passengers during the lengthy flight, she said.

(Cover: Passengers leave an Emirates flight assisted by cabin crew and emergency services at JFK airport, New York, Sept. 5, 2018. /VCG Photo)

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Source(s): Reuters