Flight from Vancouver ‘deep cleaned’ after 25 passengers become sick

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More than two dozen United Airlines passengers who flew out of Vancouver, B.C. disembarked in Houston, Texas exhibiting flu-like symptoms, leading the plane to be removed from service and deep-cleaned.

Paramedics helped evacuate the flight in Terminal C at about 6:30 p.m. on Friday after at least 25 passengers reported feeling nauseous, according to the Houston Fire Department.

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Those afflicted were part of a group of 75 cruise line passengers who were returning to Texas.

The airlines confirmed the plane was removed for a “deep cleaning” before it could be returned to service. According to the airlines the plane was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 163 passengers and six crew members on board.

United Airlines has not revealed the cause of the sickness or the cruise the passengers had taken. While the illness has not been confirmed, the CDC has tracked six norovirus outbreaks and one E. coli outbreak on cruise ships this year. Norovirus, or stomach flu, can cause low-grade fevers, vomiting and diarrhea, according to Health Canada.

“Public health officers from CDC’s Houston Port Health Station worked with EMS to evaluate ill passengers on board,” a CDC spokesperson told USA Today in an email. “Most of the ill passengers reported mild GI symptoms. No passengers were noted to have a fever during the flight or upon public health assessment at landing. No passengers met CDC criteria for further public health follow-up. Passengers from the flight continued with their travel plans.”

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GI, or gastrointestinal, issues refers to any digestive issues, including those affecting the stomach, throat and bowels.

The news follows another outbreak in which 129 passengers and 25 employees onboard the Queen Victoria cruise ship fell sick with diarrhea and vomiting in February.

In April, a Silversea Cruises vessel had an E. coli outbreak affecting 29 people on board.

The most recent outbreak occurred in late May, when 73 crew and passengers aboard a Celebrity Summit cruise fell ill with norovirus.

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