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One of the world's largest planes from Dubai was greeted Wednesday by police, ambulances and fire trucks at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Airbus Flight 203, an Airbus 380, landed at approximately 9:12 am from Dubai and 19 passengers and crew members reported symptoms such as cough, headache, sore throat, fever and other flu-like symptoms.
"It was two-tiered and when we went up to the main level, there were just dozens of people coughing and flying, it looked like a flying infirmary," said Erin Sykes, a female passenger. "It was like a symphony of coughing."
Originally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported that up to 100 fleeing people reported being sick.
Almost three hours later, Emirates Airline confirmed that 10 of 549 crew members and passengers – including rapper Vanilla Ice who recorded "Ice Ice Baby" in 1990 – and crew members were transferred to Jamaica Medical Center.
"All the passengers were checked by local health authorities prior to disembarkation and three passengers and seven crew members were transferred to the hospital for treatment and assessment," an Emirates Airline spokeswoman said. "Nine passengers were subjected to an additional medical check at the site, near the aircraft, and were subsequently released, while the remaining passengers were allowed to leave and clear the border.
A spokesman for the Jamaica Medical Center said in a statement that the 10 passengers and crew members were "immediately isolated and assessed for their symptoms".
Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene, told a news conference that the agency had obtained respiratory samples from the 10 patients. These samples were tested at the city's public health laboratory and they were expecting results late Wednesday night.
"It seems like it's probably the flu," said Dr. Barbot. "But again, until we have our final results late tonight, we will not be able to determine the underlying cause of this disease."
Barbot said that all quarantined patients are currently stable and are even "pizza fed".
The disease apparently also had stomach problems, forcing the crew members to sort the toilets.
"The bathrooms were in great demand to the point where they closed two bathrooms," said Sykes, a passenger.
Demetre Daskalakis, the assistant commissioner for disease control at the New York Department of Health, advised travelers to wash their hands and get vaccinated before traveling.
The CDC, meanwhile, said that passengers who had been assessed and released should call their health care provider and the local health department if they develop symptoms.
A representative of Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, confirmed that the rapper was on the flight after the star of the show "The Vanilla Ice Project" tweeted to be on the plane.
Van Winkle's representative testified that the rapper was released with the other passengers because he had no symptoms. He had already left JFK airport at 4 pm.
Port Authority authorities in New York and New Jersey said in a statement that the A380, the world's largest passenger jet, had been taken to a location far from the terminal for emergency officials can assess the situation.
Sarah Sanders, White House press secretary, said the president had been informed and would continue to monitor the situation.
Diala Makki was traveling first class on flight 203 en route to New York Fashion Week when she learned from the flight crew that a number of people had become ill on board and that passengers had to be detained until officials carry out checks.
"The Emirates cabin crew was super helpful, they were not in panic mode, which was amazing," said Makki, 36, in an interview outside. from JFK airport. "Then the American officials checked each of us until we got out and they did very well."
Makki, a television host from Dubai, said she was "just a little scared" throughout the experience and was aware of the reports of 100 sick people.
"That's what I heard, but the cabin crew told me it was 10am, so I do not know," she added. .
An Emirates Airline spokesman said the flight back from the A380 to Dubai would be delayed for at least three hours.
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