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Plane evacuated at Florida airport has 'positive coronavirus' patient onboard, officials say

Updated  March 12, 2020 7:45am EDT
FOX 32 Chicago

Jetblue flight lands with positive coronavirus case in West Palm Beach

The plane arrived into Florida from New York.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A passenger aboard a JetBlue flight that arrived at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida from John F. Kennedy International Airport is sick with the coronavirus, according to multiple local reports.

Flight 253 landed just before 9 p.m. Wednesday. The passenger was reportedly taken to the back of the plane after complaining about coronavirus-like symptoms. The plane remained on the tarmac.

A passenger told the local FOX station that the man across the way from him was wearing masks and gloves. The man's wife told the passenger that her husband wasn't feeling well and got his test results just before take-off.

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Palm Beach County Fire Rescue notified all passengers that the guidelines for a COVID-19 patient were followed, reported the Palm Beach Post.

"Passengers who were near the person "were advised of monitoring procedures. Other passengers “were released to go home” and told to call the Florida Department of Health’s Palm Beach County office “with any medical concerns," according to the paper.

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On Wednesday night, three more cases of coronavirus in Florida were announced by the Department of Health, bringing the total amount of infected patients in the state to 26. 23 of those are Florida residents while the three others are non-Florida residents located in the state. The newest cases are in Broward, Miami-Dade, and St. Johns counties. One of which is a 63-year-old New York man who traveled to Florida to attend Daytona Beach Bike Week. 

The DOH recommends all individuals experiencing symptoms who attended either of these events immediately contact their County Health Department or health care provider and self-isolate for 14 Days.

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