A passenger jet taking winter-weary Canadians to Jamaica for a sunny holiday was forced to turn back after a passenger falsely claimed to have the coronavirus (COVID-19), the airline said Tuesday.
The Westjet flight to Montego Bay was diverted to Toronto on Monday “due to an unruly guest,” spokesman Morgan Bell told AFP.
“Out of an abundance of caution, our crew followed all protocols for infectious disease on board, including sequestering an individual who made an unfounded claim regarding coronavirus,” he said.
According to reports, the man stood almost halfway through the four-hour flight carrying 243 passengers and, while taking selfies, declared that he had contracted the virus that has infected more than 20,400 and killed 425.
READ: Australia, UK, Singapore and all the countries who have confirmed coronavirus cases
Flight attendants gave him a mask and gloves and ordered him to the back of the plane.
“I guess this guy thought it was a funny joke but it’s just really weird. We were all very frustrated, to just displace 240 people … it’s just so selfish,” passenger Julie-Anne Broderick told public broadcaster CBC.
“We’ve lost a day of our vacation,” she lamented.
WHO urges countries to share coronavirus data as it spreads
Police and public health officials met the flight on arrival in Toronto.
Peel Regional Police confirmed a 29-year-old man from Thornhill, Ontario was arrested and has been charged with mischief.
Another flight was booked to take the passengers to Jamaica Tuesday morning and bring back those left stranded in Montego Bay after their return flight on Monday was also cancelled.
#CoronaOutbreak How to protect yourself from Coronavirus
5 arrested in Nigeria for causing chaos after coronavirus ‘prank’
Meanwhile, Nigerian police arrested five people in Abuja for causing a scare over the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to the Wuse Zone 3 Divisional Police PRO, Anjuguri Manzal, one of the suspects said that their action was merely a prank about the Coronavirus and was not intended to cause any sort of chaos.
#CoronavirusWho How coronavirus started
It was said the suspects claimed to be playing out a script about the virus without the knowledge or authorisation of the relevant authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Sahara Reports said the suspects went to the Wuse District Hospital claiming that one of them had been infected with Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The incident which led to panic and disruption of normal health service delivery at the hospital eventually led to their arrest and arraignment before court.
Update
Five journalists arrested by the Federal Capital Territory Police command on Saturday, February 1, for allegedly pranking people at premises of the Wuse District Hospital have been granted bail by a Magistrate Court, Wuse.
The journalists – Pricilla Ajeshola, Jacob Orji, Abayomi Adedoyin, Peggy Shande, and David Gold Enemingin – since their arrest have remained in Police custody until their arraignment before the court on Monday, February 3.
In a short ruling, Senior Magistrate Musa Jobbo, granted the journalists bail in the sum of N100,000 each and a surety who must be resident in the FCT.
How to protect yourself ftom Coronavirus #coronavirusec #CoronavirusWho #CoronaOutbreak pic.twitter.com/WveqvGYHBb
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