Canadian officials say passengers who flew from Phoenix have coronavirus

PHOENIX — Canadian health officials said Monday that two passengers who took a flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at the end of February have tested positive for coronavirus.

The passengers took WestJet flight 1199 from Phoenix to Toronto on Feb. 28, the airport said in a press release.

The cases were diagnosed in Canada, not in Arizona, health officials said.

WestJet said in a release passengers who were seated between rows 18-22 of that flight could have been infected with the virus, which has affected more than 70 people in Canada.

Officials are asking anyone who was seated in those rows to self-isolate and contact local public health departments.

Maricopa County health officials said that viruses don’t spread easily on airplanes because of air circulation and flow.

“WestJet has standard procedures in place for dealing with illness and is working with PHAC, Peel Public Health and the Toronto Pearson Airport,” the airline said in the release.

Sky Harbor has adopted self-imposed protocols, such as increased amount of times of cleaning at the airport’s high-touch areas, in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

“At this time the CDC has not requested any specific changes to Phoenix Sky Harbor’s standard health and safety protocols related to the virus,” the airport said in the release.

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