Second Nurse with Ebola Flew Frontier Airlines from Cleveland to Dallas, Had No Symptoms
A second Dallas healthcare worker who has been diagnosed with Ebola flew on Oct. 13, a day before she reported symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed today. The healthcare worker was in Akron to visit family. On the morning of Oct. 14 she reported to the hospital with a low-grade fever and was isolated.
The healthcare worker exhibited no signs or symptoms of illness while on flight 1143, according to the crew.
Because of the proximity in time between the evening flight and first report of illness the following morning, the CDC is reaching out to passengers who flew on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth Oct. 13. The CDC is asking all 132 passengers to call 1 800-CDC INFO (1 800 232-4636). After 1 p.m. Eastern, public health professionals will begin interviewing passengers about the flight, answering their questions, and arranging follow up. Individuals who are determined to be at any potential risk will be actively monitored.
Frontier Airlines is working closely with CDC to identify and notify passengers who may have traveled on flight 1143 on Oct. 13. The airline issued a statement this afternoon.
“At approximately 1:00 a.m. Mountain Time on Oct. 15, Frontier was notified by the CDC that a customer traveling on Frontier Airlines flight 1143 Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth on Oct. 13 has since tested positive for the Ebola virus,” the statement reads. “The flight landed in Dallas/Fort Worth at 8:16 p.m. local and remained overnight at the airport having completed its flying for the day at which point the aircraft received a thorough cleaning per our normal procedures which is consistent with CDC guidelines prior to returning to service the next day. It was also cleaned again in Cleveland last night. Previously the customer had traveled from Dallas Fort Worth to Cleveland on Frontier flight 1142 on October 10.”
Frontier Airlines officials said the airline responded immediately upon notification from the CDC by removing the aircraft from service.
“The safety and security of our customers and employees is our primary concern,” reads the company statement. “Frontier will continue to work closely with CDC and other governmental agencies to ensure proper protocols and procedures are being followed.”
For more information on Ebola, visit https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola.
Update, 5:30 p.m. – CBS in Dallas tracked the flight and determined that the plane was used for five flights before it was pulled from service. There were not flights to New Jersey. The plane was cleaned and is now back in service.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
According to CNN, the CDC Director Freidan said she had a temperature of 99.5 BEFORE she boarded the flight and Frontier let her fly?
It’s flu season. Most people who are about to succumb to the flu will have a fever. Most people get an elevated temperature after getting a flu shot. Are you suggesting that anyone with a fever be denied the right to fly?
Better get ready to drive home for the holiday season then.
No, only people with known to ebola patients, like this woman. Seriously, chief, think before you post.
If Amber Vinson, one of my heroes, had the flu, then she would have been contagious to others and should not have flown. But she was incubating Ebola, and was contagious to nobody. Thank God she’s recovered, as has Nina Pham.
We have GOT to get our act together -c’mon folks! If you were on the care team, you don’t travel, period. Sorry for the inconvenience but that’s the way it should be.
This is a reasoned suggestion.
These two books lay it all out in the open. ” Killing Winds ” & ” Clouds of Secrecy ”
DoD has been testing / spraying us all for many years. See Operation BIG TOM ,or Project SHAD . Read up. Do not panic , it feeds the trolls .