December 25th – An American man suddenly fainted on the plane and died soon after. According to the autopsy report released on the 22nd local time, the man died of COVID-19.
According to ABC, the man flew from Orlando, Florida to Los Angeles on a United Airlines flight on the 14th. After the man fainted, the plane made an emergency landing in New Orleans.
Medical staff took him to a local hospital and declared him dead. The coroner believes that acute respiratory failure and COVID-19 are the causes of the death of the 69-year-old man
Witnesses said the passenger’s wife told an emergency medical staff that her husband had previously developed symptoms related to COVID-19, including loss of smell and difficulty breathing.
According to United Airlines, passengers are required to provide proof of negative results for COVID-19 test within 14 days before boarding the plane. The passenger filled out the form but concealed the fact that he tested positive for the coronavirus, people familiar with the matter told ABC.
United Airlines said it had submitted all passenger information and seats to the CDC. Several passengers on the flight said they were now showing symptoms and the CDC has not contacted them for the time being.
According to the description of passenger Cameron Roberts and his fiancee, the scene was very chaotic, and other passengers rushed to help the man, giving him extrahoracic pressure and artificial respiration.
“They put him on the ground in the middle of the aisle, and they were still doing him CPR when we landed,” Roberts said. Roberts said he was in quarantine and had been tested for COVID-19. “It’s a shame they lost a family member, but at the same time, they were also an irresponsible sign of getting on the plane,” Roberts said.
