38 flights landed at Schiphol with possible Covid-19 cases on board
Between early June and mid-July, 38 flights landed at Schiphol with a traveler on board who was maybe infected with the coronavirus, Veiligheidsregio Kennemerland confirmed to Het Parool. Depending on where they sat and how full the plane was, other passengers were warned to monitor their health and self-isolate, the local safety region said.
"People from risk areas such as the United States and South America are screened upon arrival at Schiphol," a spokesperson for the safety region said to the newspaper. "They have to fill out a form. On the basis of this, a risk assessment was made that 38 people may have been infected with the coronavirus. They were advised to have themselves tested and go into quarantine."
Source and contact investigations were carried out - relatively easily with passenger lists and seat numbers - and if necessary, other passengers on the involved flights were warned to monitor their symptoms and isolate themselves.
The spokesperson could not say from which countries or areas the involved flights came from, or how many people may be infected in total. "There were flights where we contacted one person for a contact investigation, and in the extreme, 17 fellow passengers from a flight were approached." According to the spokesperson, several dozen people in total were approached.
The Veiligheidsregio stressed that there is no cause for alarm. "We are well ahead of the pandemic. We have fairly stable figures and no major outbreaks, so we have a positive outlook. The numbers we see fit the pattern of a pandemic."
