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A passenger on a JetBlue flight traveling from New York to Florida Wednesday night tested positive for coronavirus, according to fire officials.
A medical emergency prompted the flight's 114 passengers and crew members to be stuck on the tarmac of Palm Beach International Airport for roughly three hours. Two elderly passengers were taken off the plane around 11 p.m. wearing masks and gloves, WPBF-TV reported. The flight originated at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Flight 253 landed at PBIA around 8:30 p.m. and passengers didn't leave the aircraft until about 11:30 p.m., the station reported.
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The State Health Department in Palm Beach County said it completed its assessment of the situation and spoke to all passengers aboard the airplane, according to Fox 29.
It's not clear how officials determined there was a coronavirus case onboard or if the infected was one of the two elderly passengers seen leaving the plane. JetBlue did not immediately respond to an after-hours email from Fox News.
The remaining passengers were eventually allowed to leave the airport without seeing a doctor, the station reported.
They were told to call the health department if they had any additional medical concerns, while those who were in the vicinity of the coronavirus patient during the flight were advised of the monitoring procedures, according to Fox 29.
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The passengers deplaned in a containment area that was located away from PBIA's main terminals.
Jet Blue released a statement regarding the incident on Thursday.
"After health officials allowed customers to disembark, we conducted a thorough sanitizing of the aircraft according to CDC guidance," JetBlue's Corporate Communications Manager Derek Dombrowski told Fox News. "We have also sanitized common areas in both airport terminals involved. We will continue to coordinate closely with health officials and provide them any additional information required."
He added that JetBlue is waiving change and cancellation fees to allow customers the opportunity to change or pause their travel plans should they need to.
PBIA didn't immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment
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