FALSE ALARM

CDC: No ‘Severe Illnesses’ Among Quarantined Philadelphia Plane Passengers

The passengers, who reported flu-like symptoms, were on two American Airlines flights from Europe.

None of the passengers on two American Airlines flights from Europe to Philadelphia who reported flu-like symptoms Thursday were “severely ill” after arriving in the U.S., according to an email cited by USA Today. A total of 250 passengers and crew members, who were traveling on Flight 717 from Munich and Flight 755 from Paris, were held for medical review after a dozen passengers reported flu-like symptoms, such as cough and sore throat, USA Today said. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Benjamin Haynes said public-health officials were investigating whether these passengers had the flu or other respiratory illnesses. “Passengers from the two flights who were not ill continued with their travel plans,” an email from Haynes said. Separately, medical tests “showed no illness beyond influenza or other common cold viruses” among the 10 passengers on Emirates Flight 203 from Dubai to New York City who were hospitalized Wednesday for respiratory symptoms, according to the city’s Health Department.