Report: Passenger on Virgin Atlantic Flight Had Ebola Virus

Travel Blog  •  Michael Yessis  •  05.21.06 | 4:41 PM ET

The Mirror reports that a 38-year-old passenger on a flight from Johannesburg to London suffered a “violent fit” and subsequently died from the deadly Ebola virus. “Virgin Atlantic cabin crew who came into contact with the woman have been told to monitor their health,” writes Stephen Moyes. “One said: ‘We are now terrified what we may have caught.’”

Tags: Travel Disease, Africa, Europe, England, London, News and Briefs


10 Comments for Report: Passenger on Virgin Atlantic Flight Had Ebola Virus

Phil 05.21.06 | 7:52 PM ET

Oh crap, ebola outbreak in london would not be good.

nick 05.22.06 | 8:31 AM ET

definately’ not good

KeithCocaine 05.22.06 | 9:10 AM ET

it would be good. Purify the world

paul 05.22.06 | 10:44 AM ET

confirmed NOT ebola by HPA

mark 05.22.06 | 12:38 PM ET

Can’t find anything on HPA website or in google news search confirming this is not Ebola. Either way though, it’s terrifying that this story was barely reported and that passengers were not quarantined.

Mike Belfonte 05.24.06 | 2:45 AM ET

This is the begining of the end. My Brother in law works for the military and said if she really had Ebola that everyone on the plane would contract it with in 3 weeks. He stated That pressureissed cabins recirculate the air and that this is a serious cause of concern and exacty how a wold pnandemic would occur. THe Brits are know for swweping there stupidity uunder he carpet only to kill the rest of us.

John 05.24.06 | 9:06 PM ET

She didn’t have ebola, as confirmed by the HPA. SHe *most probably* died of rabies. Very sad.

Terryn 05.26.06 | 4:10 PM ET

Whoever said this is rabies is lying.  You don’t bleed out in rabies like you do in Ebola. Rabies takes several WEEKS to die from not DAYS!  She had flu lie symptoms BEFORE the flight, then goes from alive to coma to bleeding out to dead in the space of hours???? ONly EBOLA does that!!!!

KeithCocaine 05.27.06 | 3:17 AM ET

Actually Marburg does that also its closley related to Ebola and also any other herromgric fever viruses will cause you to bleed out its not just a Ebola thing.

David Reed 06.15.06 | 9:48 AM ET

From the Hospital’s press office:

Hi David,

These stories were both inaccurate and the patient did not die from
ebola. Unfortunately the Mirror did not listen to what I was saying and
preferred to take false information from Virgin cabin crew.

Caroline Lord
Press Officer

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