A packed aircraft which had just landed in the UK from Spain was held on the runway's tarmac today after an urgent health alert.
The Jet2 flight LS302 landed at Belfast International Airport from Alicante at 2.35pm today - but passengers were told to remain in their seats as port health officials boarded the aircraft.
Alarms had been raised after an individual was showing symptoms of chickenpox, meaning a potential case of measles needed to be ruled out. A spokesperson for the budget airline said all passengers were allowed to leave the plane after a "short delay" and entered the airport building.
The Jet2 spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Port Health officials boarded flight LS302 earlier today after reports of a customer showing possible chicken pox symptoms. Customers have now departed the aircraft after a short delay, and we apologise for any inconvenience." Belfast International Airport has been approached for comment.
Chickenpox symptoms in adults are very similar to measles, but can be distinguished according to appearance of the rash that flares up on the body. Both conditions show up with spots, but those for chicken pox are flatter. Chicken pox spots raise into fluid-filled blisters, eventually popping and scabbing over. Chicken pox is highly contagious due to the nature of the spots and the likelihood of them popping.
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An individual is considered non-contagious once the spots have semi-healed to scabs. Measles, which is commonly seen in adults who have not been exposed to the chicken pox virus, has a flatter, non-itchy, appearance on the skin. Both illnesses can see people come down with a fever, but measles is accompanied by more physical symptoms. Affected individuals can often come down with cold-like symptoms, such as runny noses and sore throats.
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