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Mass Casualty Alert After Sick Passengers on Eurowings Jet
21 Oct
Summary
- Multiple passengers fell ill with suspected norovirus on a Eurowings flight Sunday.
- Düsseldorf Airport activated mass casualty response for the incoming flight.
- Illnesses potentially linked to a norovirus outbreak on Rhodes since July.
Multiple passengers experienced gastrointestinal distress on Sunday evening during Eurowings flight EW-9631, traveling from Rhodes, Greece, to Düsseldorf, Germany. The symptoms were suspected to be norovirus.
Upon notification, Düsseldorf Airport initiated its mass casualty response protocol. Emergency medical personnel, notably seen in hazmat suits, boarded the aircraft shortly after it landed. Three passengers were subsequently transported to a local hospital for further care.
These reported illnesses are believed to be linked to an ongoing norovirus outbreak on the Greek island of Rhodes, which has been documented since July. This outbreak has affected a significant number of people, with over 1,400 cases treated at Rhodes Hospital since August 10.
One passenger described the scene upon landing as "quite shocking," with numerous ambulances and emergency personnel present. The passengers remained on board for approximately 90 minutes before disembarking. The cause of the outbreak on Rhodes has been attributed to the virus's high transmissibility and a lack of public awareness regarding its management.
