Man died after medical emergency on United flight

The passenger’s wife said he had experienced symptoms related to COVID, officials said.

A United flight was rerouted after a passenger suffered a medical emergency and died.

United flight 591 was diverted to New Orleans on Monday after a male passenger fell ill. Paramedics transported the individual to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, the carrier said.

According to airline officials, the passenger’s wife told an emergency medical technician that her husband had symptoms related to COVID. Officials have not confirmed whether the passenger tested positive for the virus.

“Now that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] contacted us directly, we share the requested information with the agency so that they can work with local health officials to conduct outreach to any client the CDC believes may be at risk of exposure or infection, ”the airline said in a statement.

United requires all of its passengers to complete a ‘Ready to Fly’ checklist before checking in on a flight, prompting them to recognize that they have not tested positive for COVID-19 and that they do not ‘haven’t had any related symptoms in the past two weeks.

“We implore passengers not to travel if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or have symptoms related to COVID. When in doubt, the best option is to get tested,” United said.

The remaining passengers on the flight were able to continue their travel plans or catch a later flight.

“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our top priority, which is why we have implemented various policies and procedures, such as mask mandates and requiring customers to complete a checklist. to fly “before the flight,” United said in a statement.