At least 52 passengers onboard a single flight from Delhi to Hong Kong have all tested positive for COVID, despite negative results presented before the flight.
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| Credit: Reuters |
Indian airline Vistara landed on April 3, where travelers are allowed to enter the country as long as they could present negative test result.
The positive results came out during the mandatory three week quarantine measure in Hong Kong. Authorities did not revealed how many people were on the plane, but the Daily Mail reported that around 188 passengers could have been on board.
A passenger identified as Rashida Fathima with her husband and two children told Wall Street Journal that she believed she acquired the virus on the plane - despite wearing of face mask in the entire flight.
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| Credit: Reuters |
The case has sparked debate among health experts and was shocked about the incident. Experts have outlined some possible reasons why such large numbers have been infected despite negative results handed over during pre-departure.
Authorities said that the passengers could have been infected in India after their pre-flight which had to be taken within 72 hours of the flight. It was also suggested that the result may have simply been false-negatives as cases in India continue to spike. Experts also thought that passengers may have caught Covid at a quarantine hotel, or a particular more contiguous strain might have spread during the flight.
India grapple with surging infections that have reached over 300,000 daily - the highest case ever recorded in the world.
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