Science
- Japan Airlines said one of its flight attendants has tested positive for the coronavirus.
- The airline said health officials believe she had displayed symptoms as long ago as February 24.
- She flew from Chicago to Tokyo's Narita airport on February 25.
- The attendant has been isolated, and 12 crew other workers who came into contact with her have also been asked to stay home.
- The airline industry has been struggling with the virus, which has now infected more than 110,000 people around the world.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
A Japan Airlines flight attendant has tested positive for the coronavirus, the airline said on Monday.
Tokyo health officials believe the unnamed woman, who is in her 50s, had shown symptoms on February 24.
The following day she worked on flight JL 009 from Chicago to Tokyo's Narita airport on February 25.
The airline said 104 passengers were on that flight.
The cabin crew were wearing gloves and masks during the flight and the plane has since been disinfected, according to the airline.
The attendant is "currently in isolation but has no symptoms such as cough or fever," the airline said. It said health officials confirmed that she tested positive on Saturday.
12 other cabin crew members were "identified as close contacts" and have been asked to stay home until March 11.
"At this time, none of the aforementioned attendants are presenting symptoms."
Japan Airlines also said that no passengers on the flight or any flight beforehand were deemed to have been in close contact with the attendant.
The airline said: "The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. In cooperation with health centers and other organizations such as local governments, we are working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and will continue to take necessary measures in an appropriate manner."
Japan Airlines said it performs health checks on cabin crew and tells them to report if they have a fever, removing them from flights if they do.
"On all domestic and international flights, flight attendants wear masks at all times, wear gloves when serving meals and drinks, and take thorough measures against infectious diseases such as hand washing and gargling," the airline said.
More than 500 cases have bee recorded in Japan, and 17 deaths.
The spread of the virus, which has now infected more than 110,000 people and killed more than 3,800 people around the world, has created a new crisis for the airline industry.
Many passengers are too nervous to fly, and several countries have imposed lockdowns and restrictions on travel from certain parts of the world.
Many flight attendants have previously told Business Insider that their main concern is the harm the outbreak is doing to their livelihoods.
But getting the coronavirus is also a real risk: A Korean Air flight attendant tested positive for the coronavirus in February. In response, the airline disinfected planes and asked flight attendants who showed symptoms to self-quarantine.
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the largest US flight attendant union, said the US federal government needs to give more, better, and more coordinated resources and information about the coronavirus.
"Our government must deploy a coordinated response to prevent spread, uh, treat those infected and provide resources and information for workers and the general public," Nelson said in February.
Airlines around the world are cancelling flights and cutting costs to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus.
UK airline Flybe said that the coronavirus was partly to blame when it collapsed last week and immediately stopped operating.
Some airlines are also offering more flexible rebooking and cancellation policies in a bid to keep people booking flights.
And airlines are running empty "ghost" flights to keep their slots at airports even as travel demand falls.
Business Insider's David Slotnick and Connor Perrett have outlined what you need to do if you need to change or cancel your travel plans over the coronavirus.
Ruqayyah Moynihan contributed reporting to this article.
- Read more about the coronavirus:
- Coronavirus live updates: Here's everything we know
- The US has reported 21 coronavirus deaths among over 550 cases. Here's what we know about the US patients.
- How to lessen the chances of getting sick when traveling on planes in the age of coronavirus, according to experts
- Flight attendants from American, United, and more reveal what's making them anxious as coronavirus spreads and the airline industry gets slammed
- I plan to continue flying even as coronavirus spreads globally. Here's how I intend to avoid all human contact in airports using technology.