Friday, April 27, 2012
Delta Air Lines flight 3163 landed at Chicago Midway yesterday from Detroit just before 3:30p.m. and was quarantined after a passenger who had traveled from Ghana, Africa fell ill.
The flight attendants followed FAA procedures and informed the pilot the passenger was ill and suffering with a rash.
The Centers for Disease Control confirmed to WBBM News Radio that they were investigating a “contagious situation.”
Three and a half hours later at 7:00p.m., the plane was given the all-clear after the passenger was diagnosed with bug bites, not a communicable disease.
A statement from the CDC confirmed the passenger had traveled from Africa and they feared that he may have had monkey pox.
Monkey pox is a zoonotic disease that occurs primarily in remote villages of Central and West Africa where there is more frequent contact with infected animals. Monkey pox is usually transmitted to humans from rodents and primates through contact with the infected animal’s blood.
Human monkey pox can be difficult to clinically distinguish from smallpox. There is no treatment for monkey pox.
From the Left 
Better safe than sorry. I’m sure some nitiwt will scream “racism” because the sick passenger is black and traveled from Africa. To them I say, STFU.
I agree. Better safe than an outbreak of Monkey Pox in Chicago. Meanwhile, happy Friday!
Monkey pox is devastating. I knew a doctor who worked for the Peace Corp and he cared for a small number of patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affected. Some survived and some did not. The front line caretakers do God’s work. I would be terrified of it. But I am not a doctor. I am pleased the passenger was not suffering from Monkey pox.
In addition.
Airlines in the USA are required by law to monitor all passengers for outward signs of illness and if detected, the crew must inform the pilot so appropriate medical care can be provided at the plane’s destination.
All, large, international U.S. airports have medical personnel to attend the sick and injured.
How frightening for the passengers. I recall a flight from Hartford to Dulles a few years ago. This woman who looked Indo-Asian coughed and coughed the entire flight. I worried she had TB. Planes recycle air so you breath whatever is coming out of each oriface on each passenger. One reason why I don’t like to fly.