French plane quarantined after passengers develop swine flu symptoms
A French jet was quarantined at an airport near Toulouse after passengers showed symptoms of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.
The low-cost Hop flight, a subsidiary of Air France, landed at Blagnac airport from Nice with 47 passengers coughing and spluttering, while others developing signs of fever.
When questioned by flight attendants, it emerged that all passengers had returned from a trip to Bangkok in Thailand, via Dubai.
According to The Local, one French newspaper said the scene started to "resemble something out of a disaster movie".
Concerned French authorities decided to quarantine the plane on the runway when it arrived at Blagnac airport.
According to the Daily Mail, paramedics examined each passenger on the plane and after several hours all but 16 were allowed to continue their onward journey.
France TV reports that the remaining 16 passengers were taken to the infectious diseases department at Purpan Hospital for tests and were found to be suffering from a simple flu. They were later discharged.
In 2009, France bought 94 million swine flu vaccine doses - more than one for every resident - when the virus was discovered in the country.
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