Cebu Pacific pulls out planes nCoV-infected Chinese woman had used

The aircraft which the Philippines’ first confirmed case of novel coronavirus had flown in were pulled out of Cebu Pacific's operating fleet, the local airline announced.

“The aircraft used for both flights have been pulled-out of the line and are undergoing thorough disinfection,” the budget carrier said in a statement on Friday.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo on Friday said the 38-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan, who tested positive of nCoV, flew to Cebu from Hong Kong on board a Cebu Pacific flight.

The patient also boarded a Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu to Dumaguete and then flew to Manila on a Philippine Airlines flight.

The Chinese woman took the Cebu Pacific flights last January 21, 2020, according to the airline.

“We are in the process of contacting passengers seated in the vicinity of the positive nCoV patient and are taking the necessary precautions to inform them so they can have themselves checked in case they show flu-like symptoms,” the airline said.

“The cabin crew and pilots on affected flights have also been informed and show no symptoms of illness,” it said.

Cebu Pacific said it was working closely with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) on the necessary actions after the confirmation of the first Philippine novel coronavirus case.

To reduce the risk of infection across all of their flights, the airline said it was implementing the following preventive measures:

• aircraft would be cleaned and disinfected between flights;
• employees, frontline personnel, and cabin crew would wear face masks while on duty;
• face masks would be provided passengers who showed symptoms of illness;
• when possible, passengers who manifested symptoms of illness would be isolated on empty rows inside the aircraft during the flight; and
• in cases when passengers were suspected of NCoV contamination, the airline would coordinate with health authorities for the immediate turn-over and further observation of the passenger.

Cebu Pacific also reduced the flights between the Philippines, mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau from February 3 to March 29, 2020 in light of the situation.

Passengers who wished to check the status of their flights could do so through the Manage Booking portal on the Cebu Pacific website - https://book.cebupacificair.com/Manage/Retrieve/. — Ted Cordero/DVM, GMA News