Delta Airlines is getting in contact with passengers that were flying alongside a couple diagnosed with novel coronavirus. The man and woman from Japan were visiting Hawaii and the carrier is reaching out to those on flight DL611 that left Honolulu for Nagoya on February 6th.

CNN reports that, on Friday, Hawaiian health officials shared that the man had tested positive for coronavirus in Japan where he is now being treated. However, this was eight days after he left the US state.

Prioritizing safety

The flight left Daniel K Inouye International Airport at 14:15 on February 6th. The Boeing 767-300 then landed at Nagoya Chubu Centrair International Airport at 19:30 the next day. After being informed of the situation, Delta decided to try and notify those that were on the flight.

“We are aware of reports that two customers who are being treated for novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV) recently traveled together between Honolulu and Nagoya and we are communicating with the appropriate public health officials, including U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local Japanese authorities," a Delta spokesperson informed Simple Flying.

"The health and safety of our customers and crews is our top priority, and in cooperation with Japanese health officials, we are proactively reaching out to customers who were onboard that flight as well as taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our customers and crew.”

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Touchless tech will help temperature screening become more efficient. Photo: Getty Images

State concerns

Delta is taking the right measures to help with the safety of its passengers on its flight. However, officials within Hawaii will also be on high alert due to the time that the couple spent in the state.

The pair were in Maui between January 28th and February 3rd. Here, the man reportedly had no symptoms. This is before they moved to the Grand Waikikian in Oahu until their departure date. During this time, the man had cold-like symptoms but no fever.

He did wear a mask on his flight back to Japan but he did not seek medical help until after he landed. This was when severe symptoms had started to become prevalent.

Bruce Anderson, Hawaii's Director of Health shared that the man was likely exposed in Japan or in transit while on his way to Hawaii.

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The demand for flights has dropped considerably and will continue to impact airlines after the virus is contained. Photo: Getty Images

Tough situation

The outbreak of novel coronavirus is continuing to spread across several countries. Airlines are doing their best to help reduce the risk of the disease. However, the aviation market is also suffering because of the tight but necessary restrictions in place.

At the time of writing, there are 1,873 confirmed fatalities due to the virus. Therefore, authorities will want to ensure that this situation in Hawaii is thoroughly monitored.

What are your thoughts on the situation in Hawaii and on Delta’s flight? Let us know what you think in the comment section.