United Airlines made headlines earlier this week when flight 591 had to emergency land due to a passenger falling short of breathe and lying unresponsive in the airplane aisle. Ten days later, others aboard are now learning of the passenger’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Tony Aldapa, the man who unknowingly gave CPR to an unresponsive passenger and COVID-19 positive, Isaias Hernandez, told TMZ that the L.A. County Dept. of Public Health phoned him over a week after the incident telling him that he’d been exposed to COVID-19.
They also informed Aldapa that Hernandez died shortly after the flight landed.
Interestingly, Aldapa and other passengers were not notified immediately, especially since Hernandez’s wife “blurted out” he had lost his sense of taste and smell and had trouble breathing during the incident, according to TMZ.
But, a spokesperson for United Airlines revealed it was not within their right to notify passengers, which prompted them to hand over the “flight manifest” and responsibility to the CDC.
According to the spokesperson, reported by TMZ, “The CDC told us they were passing the information along to local health officials. Finally, 10 days after exposure.”
Aldapa, an EMT, had COVID-like symptoms but luckily tested negative and is feeling better.
Flight 591 had 178 other passengers aboard, many of who were returning home for the holidays likely after a two-week quarantine. The health status of others aboard has not been reported.
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