Airline Passengers Asked To ‘Self Monitor’

March 5, 2020

[Updated] A passenger on last night’s AA Miami flight was identified as “having influenza-like symptoms” and the person was provided with a mask, transferred by ambulance to the hospital, and the Ministry of Health are now “contacting passengers on that flight and asking them to self-monitor for any symptoms.”

The Ministry said, “Yesterday evening [March 4], a passenger onboard the American Airlines’ Miami flight was identified by cabin crew as having influenza-like symptoms.

“That individual was provided with a mask and disembarked from the aircraft by the Port Nurse upon arrival at L. F. Wade International Airport.

“That passenger had no travel history which would classify them as ‘high-risk’ for COVID-19 as they had not been to a country identified by the World Health Organization [WHO] as one with ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the individual was transferred by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where they were monitored and later discharged for self-monitoring at home. That individual was tested for both COVID-19 and influenza and results are pending.

“In the meantime, Ministry of Health personnel continue to investigate the matter and are contacting passengers on that flight and asking them to self-monitor for any symptoms.”

The Minister of Health Kim Wilson said, “We understand and appreciate that other passengers on that flight are feeling concerned and anxious and may have questions so we are in the process of setting up a hotline for those individuals so they can call and speak to a medical professional. Passengers should be prepared to share their name and seat allocation. We will communicate that number with them shortly.”

“It should be noted that the aircraft was thoroughly cleaned by personnel trained in handling situations where there has been a possible contamination of that aircraft,” the Ministry noted.

“Just because you have respiratory symptoms, it does not automatically make you a suspect COVID-19 case,” explained Chief Medical Officer Dr. Cheryl Peek-Ball. “However, it is extremely important to be vigilant and report any symptoms if you feel you may have come into contact with someone who may have the virus or if you have travelled to a place deemed by WHO has being ‘high risk’.”

The Ministry added, “Travel advice is updated daily on the Government’s website www.gov.bm/health-information. As a reminder, travel advice is currently as follows: The Ministry of Health is discouraging travel to affected areas with reported sustained or ongoing community transmission of COVID-19 and related travel routes. These include: China, Iran, Northern Italy, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.

“Travelers who have been in affected areas should be prepared to self-quarantine until a risk assessment is completed by a public health officer. A public health officer will then assess what public health measures should be implemented based on the travellers’ risk level.

“Public health measures may include active monitoring or supervision of self-monitoring by public health authorities, or the application of movement restrictions, including isolation and quarantine, when needed to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 in Bermuda.

“It is important to remind members of the public that if they feel unwell with respiratory symptoms, to please call ahead before entering any healthcare facility.”

Update 8.38pm: The Ministry said, “The Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit [ESU] can confirm that for those travelers on the Miami flight #AA308 which arrived March 4th, 2020, there is no need to take any extraordinary measures for infection prevention or control.

“There appears to be no need for isolation or self-quarantine of the passengers on the flight in question. However, as this is flu season, persons should monitor their health for respiratory symptoms, and if they occur, stay home from group settings and contact their health care provider by phone for advice. This is in accordance with the CDC risk assessment for potentially exposed travelers.

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Comments (32)

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  1. Janet says:

    Do we know how long it will take for the results to come back on the testing?

  2. blamecoronas says:

    annnnd it starts! wash your hands folks we’re in for a bumpy ride

    • Toodle-oo says:

      All this talk about washing ones hands is very curious considering this virus is air transmitted .

      • SSwan says:

        Whilst it is air borne, it lands on surfaces and people touch everything, hence the hand washing! No different than the common cold or flu.

      • LB says:

        It isn’t

  3. Destroyer says:

    This the poorest thing an careless thing I’ve ever seen happen to this island they ain’t taking this serious. They are liars on that they are taking precaution .. disgusting act of preventing the spread of the virus!!!!

    • Sad says:

      So what exactly did you want them to do, deny them entry into their own country? Did you read more than the headline.

      “That passenger had no travel history which would classify them as ‘high-risk’ for COVID-19 as they had not been to a country identified by the World Health Organization [WHO] as one with ongoing transmission of COVID-19.

      “Out of an abundance of caution, the individual was transferred by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where they were monitored and later discharged for self-monitoring at home. That individual was tested for both COVID-19 and influenza and results are pending.

      Up to 500,000 people every year die from the flu and more people have already died this year from the Flu. Relax, take smart precautions – don’t panic. Don’t get me wrong Im not saying that we should open the floodgates and take zero precautions. I’m just saying…be smart. Protect yourself YES, but dont freak out. Y2K, SARS, Mad Cow Disease, EColi, Zika Virus, Ebola were all going to wipe out the planet. We all still here.

      • Carabiner says:

        The PLP will do for Bermuda long before the coronavirus

      • Destroyer says:

        Take better measure to ensure that everything is done to protocol not send everybody off to do what they want when there is a serious pandemic on the rise… clearly you think there ain’t nothing wrong with what has happen.. but let it come an we will see who will be crying .. an I Never said don’t let them in but instead just said they have have done a very poor job at showing that have any kind of control a mass spread of an infection..

  4. Awake says:

    All passengers should be in at home quarantine until the results come back negative!!!!! If they are positive all work places and family of those on that flight would have been exposed !

  5. Stinky D. says:

    So if this person has the virus and was on that plane. Wouldn’t it be a possibility for others on the plane to contract the virus.should they be monitored as well?

  6. Kayla says:

    Florida has several cases, how does that not count as an affected area?

  7. Plane says:

    SO,how well was the plane cleaned? What those passengers that had to board it the next day?

  8. trufth says:

    Reactive instead of proactive as usual.

    So many things wrong here! I thought the govt said we were “well prepared?”

    Why was this hotline not set up weeks ago?
    How long until the test results come back?
    How many additional people will become infected in the mean time?
    Every person on that flight could have been exposed and they will expose anyone they come into contact with as they go about their days.

    Italy dropped the ball like this and look how that has turned out!
    Get your act together Bermuda!

  9. Evie says:

    Please stop saying it’s airborne that’s not true. I have been to several meetings and asked questions not one doctor or health profession has said that please stop.

    I understand people are scared and nervous but don’t say things that are not true. The virus doesn’t jump on you it can’t spray long distance wash your hands often

    don’t touch your face eyes nose or mouth after touching rails door knobs any touch surfaces. Stay away from people who are coughing sneezing again wash your hands often.

    • Question says:

      Dangerous misinformation. It can certainly spread by droplets and likely by aerosolization.

    • Destroyer says:

      a person who is infected sneezes in the open or in a closed area does make it airborne so don’t say it’s not when it definitely can be.

  10. Julie says:

    Passengers & crew should not have been allowed to disembark until arrangements were made for them to be quarantined! An ambulance met the plane for heavens sake! Protocol should have been in place where passengers & crew could be swabbed & then transported home to be self quarantined! I am just blown away by the ineptness of this situation!
    This could have been contained!
    A passenger called the doctors office as a proactive measure as he was concerned because the sick gentleman in question was quite sick coughing, trouble breathing etc.! He could have very easily gone to work this morning but called ahead as a responsible concerned person & was told to stay home & self monitor! This information should have been given before leaving the airport!
    I am just blown away! Bermuda you only have yourself to blame in regards to what’s coming next.

    • Mark says:

      As that idiot Onion Juice likes to point out 25 – 10 or something like that.

  11. Rhonda says:

    Coronavirus is not airborne, unless you are within 3 feet of an infected person’s cough or sneeze.

    • saud says:

      Rhonda is clueless, stay at least 3 feet away, lest you be infected with ‘the stupid’.

  12. Awake says:

    https://youtu.be/MUN2RJsbgnY

    Cruise California outbreak

  13. Truth is killin’ me... says:

    Inept as fux!!!!

  14. Perdo says:

    It seems a side effect of Coronavirus is the undeniable urge to get on an air plane…

  15. Liz says:

    Why was this person put in an ambulance and taken to the hospital….to possibly infect even more people? There should have been an alternative place for quarantine and testing in place already. Talk about being behind the times.

  16. Liz says:

    Why isn’t there a place for quarantine and testing in place already? Instead….put in an ambulance and taken to the hospital to maybe infect many more. Talk about putting the cart before the horse!

  17. Not so Safe says:

    Why is that we are being told if we suspect we have the Coronavirus we should stay home yet someone comes in on a plane with symptoms of something and they are given a mask which we have been told is ineffective and taken to the hospital ? Monitored for a short time and then told to go home and self-isolate for 14 days. Where were they treated at the hospital in a sterile area, was the ambulance deep cleaned was the room deep cleaned, how did they then get home from the hospital so they could self isolate ? friend, taxi bus has that also been deep cleaned ?

    In the UK if you suspect you have Coronavirus you go to a special pod and call the NHS help line and they advise what you should do, you do not go into the hospital and you do not go to the doctors office.

  18. Kathy says:

    CLOSE YOUR BORDERS! Better to keep it out than let it in!