WestJet passengers and crew aboard Flight 448 from Vancouver to Winnipeg Thursday will be breathing a sigh of relief after a fellow passenger tested negative for coronavirus..A source known to the Western Standard contacted the publication shortly after landing in Winnipeg on Thursday saying the plane’s 134 passengers and crew would be delayed due to a medical emergency on board..That medical emergency was suspected to be a potential case of coronavirus. The passenger in question had boarded the plane in Vancouver after arriving from China and had been wearing a surgical mask..Shortly before landing at the flight’s destination in Winnipeg, around 2:30 pm (central) crew notified the Winnipeg Airport Authority of a medical situation..“We were contacted around 2:16 pm (central) and notified of a medical emergency on board,” Tyler McAfee, Director of Communications at Winnipeg Airport Authority told Western Standard at 4:46 pm (CT)..“We notified first responders and they took over from there. Passengers have since been offloaded and should be on their way home.”.The female passenger appeared to have a fever and had become unresponsive shortly before landing..EMS were on scene when the plane pulled up to the bridge in Winnipeg and boarded the plane to assess the passenger. Other passengers were not allowed to disembark at the time..Around 3:40 pm (CT) EMS removed the passenger but other passengers were still not given permission to leave the plane..“WestJet would like to clarify that flight 448 was not quarantined,” Morgan Bell, Advisor with WestJet Media and Public Relations told Western Standard in an emailed response..“Upon arrival, EMS cleared the flight with the approval of the Public Health Agency of Canada.”.Western Standard was updated by the original source Friday morning of the results of the coronavirus test..Meanwhile, CTV News in Montreal reported February 26 that a Canadian family of five had been barred from travelling on an Air Transat flight from Quebec City to Paris due their toddler’s cough..The family told CTV-Montreal that the child had been cleared for travel by a family physician but the family did not have documents to the same..According to Transport Canada, “air operators should conduct a risk-assessment concerning airborne communicable diseases based on information available from various public health authorities” including Health Canada (HC), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), World Health Organization (WHO) and others..Coronaviruses in general are not considered “airborne” according to PHAC..“People can contract coronaviruses after coming into contact with an infected person. Current evidence suggests person-to-person spread is efficient when there is close contact.”.Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough or difficulty breathing. If you have these symptoms, contact your local public health authority for further instructions..Most people with common coronavirus illnesses will recover on their own..Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean is a Senior Reporter with Western Standard
WestJet passengers and crew aboard Flight 448 from Vancouver to Winnipeg Thursday will be breathing a sigh of relief after a fellow passenger tested negative for coronavirus..A source known to the Western Standard contacted the publication shortly after landing in Winnipeg on Thursday saying the plane’s 134 passengers and crew would be delayed due to a medical emergency on board..That medical emergency was suspected to be a potential case of coronavirus. The passenger in question had boarded the plane in Vancouver after arriving from China and had been wearing a surgical mask..Shortly before landing at the flight’s destination in Winnipeg, around 2:30 pm (central) crew notified the Winnipeg Airport Authority of a medical situation..“We were contacted around 2:16 pm (central) and notified of a medical emergency on board,” Tyler McAfee, Director of Communications at Winnipeg Airport Authority told Western Standard at 4:46 pm (CT)..“We notified first responders and they took over from there. Passengers have since been offloaded and should be on their way home.”.The female passenger appeared to have a fever and had become unresponsive shortly before landing..EMS were on scene when the plane pulled up to the bridge in Winnipeg and boarded the plane to assess the passenger. Other passengers were not allowed to disembark at the time..Around 3:40 pm (CT) EMS removed the passenger but other passengers were still not given permission to leave the plane..“WestJet would like to clarify that flight 448 was not quarantined,” Morgan Bell, Advisor with WestJet Media and Public Relations told Western Standard in an emailed response..“Upon arrival, EMS cleared the flight with the approval of the Public Health Agency of Canada.”.Western Standard was updated by the original source Friday morning of the results of the coronavirus test..Meanwhile, CTV News in Montreal reported February 26 that a Canadian family of five had been barred from travelling on an Air Transat flight from Quebec City to Paris due their toddler’s cough..The family told CTV-Montreal that the child had been cleared for travel by a family physician but the family did not have documents to the same..According to Transport Canada, “air operators should conduct a risk-assessment concerning airborne communicable diseases based on information available from various public health authorities” including Health Canada (HC), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), World Health Organization (WHO) and others..Coronaviruses in general are not considered “airborne” according to PHAC..“People can contract coronaviruses after coming into contact with an infected person. Current evidence suggests person-to-person spread is efficient when there is close contact.”.Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough or difficulty breathing. If you have these symptoms, contact your local public health authority for further instructions..Most people with common coronavirus illnesses will recover on their own..Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean is a Senior Reporter with Western Standard
