CDC Reaching Out To United Airlines Customers After Passenger Dies From COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been assisting United Airlines with reaching out to customers after learning a passenger with COVID-19 lied about his infection and died after suffering “a medical emergency” on a flight.

The incident occurred on Monday during a flight from Orlando to Los Angeles, TMZ reports.

In a statement, United Airlines revealed the man filled out their mandatory checklist and wrote that he hadn’t experienced any COVID-19 symptoms before boarding the flight.

However, the airline is now aware that he “wrongly acknowledged this requirement,” NBC News reports.

“At the time of the diversion, we were informed he had suffered a cardiac arrest, so passengers were given the option to take a later flight or continue on with their travel plans,” the airline said.

“Now that the CDC has contacted us directly, we are sharing requested information with the agency so they can work with local health officials to conduct outreach to any customer the CDC believes may be at risk for possible exposure or infection.”

Around 200 people were on board the flight when the pilot made an emergency landing in New Orleans after the man, who was experiencing coronavirus symptoms, became sick on the plane.

Before they could touch down, an eyewitness claimed a nurse and an emergency medical technician performed CPR on the man, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Following the ordeal, the CDC announced it is in the “process of collecting information and proceeding according to our standard operating procedures to determine if further public health action is appropriate.”

The agency has not released the name of the deceased passenger.