Posted on: March 12, 2020 08:00 AM

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Nassau County resident banned from JetBlue flight after tested positive for coronavirus

The passenger arrived at Palm Beach International aboard a JetBlue flight from New York's JFK Airport.

Flight 253 landed just before 9 p.m. Wednesday night, but the plane stayed on the tarmac for nearly two hours while the Florida Department of Health completed an assessment of the situation and spoke with all passengers on the flight.

JetBlue has released a statement after a coronavirus patient arrived on one of the airline's planes at a Florida airport.

"The health and safety of our customers and crewmembers is our top priority. We?re asking customers who do not feel well or are concerned they may have coronavirus to not fly until cleared to travel by a doctor or health professional. JetBlue is currently waiving change and cancellation fees to allow customers the opportunity to change or pause their travel plans should they need to."

"In last night?s case, our crewmembers did an incredible job coordinating with health authorities. After health officials allowed customers to disembark, we conducted a thorough sanitizing of the aircraft according to CDC guidance. We have also sanitized common areas in both airport terminals involved. We will continue to coordinate closely with health officials and provide them any additional information required."

"An individual on this flight got a text that he tested positive for the coronavirus. He has not been coughing or sneezing or anything on the plane. At this point, you're free to walk around and move around because, most likely, you're not going to have anything because there was no activity. The way you get this virus is somebody has to cough or sneeze on you."

"A man on the flight told WPTV that the person across the way from him was taken to the back of the plane, wearing masks and gloves. The patient's wife was sitting in the same row as the man who spoke to the TV station and mentioned to others that he wasn't feeling well."

The individual who tested positive is isolated at this time.

JFK Terminal 5 was briefly closed for quarantine. So far no one else tested positive for coronavirus.