This information also
available as a PDF.
(141 KB / 1 page)
How do I determine if there is an ill person that needs to be reported?
A person showing one of the following conditions is considered “ill” and must be reported under federal regulations:
- Fever* that has lasted more than 48 hours;
- Fever* of any duration plus any one of the following:
- rash, or
- swelling of the lymph glands, or
- jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes);
- Diarrhea (three or more loose stools—or a greater than normal number of loose stools— in a 24-hour period).
What about ill passengers or crew members who show conditions that are not listed above?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also requests that you report a person displaying the following conditions, because they may indicate a serious, contagious illness:
- Fever* of any duration plus any one of the following:
- difficulty breathing, or
- headache with a stiff neck, or
- reduced level of consciousness, or
- unexplained bleeding.
What should I do once I determine there is a person who is ill with one of these conditions?
In addition to following your company’s procedures for getting medical assistance, tell the pilot about the ill person and provide the following information:
- ill person’s name,
- seat number (if passenger),
- age,
- countries visited on this trip, and
- conditions or symptoms that brought the ill person to your attention.
What will happen once I tell the pilot about an ill person?
- The pilot should immediately notify the airline’s point of contact (POC) at the destination (for example, Operations Center, Flight Control, airline station manager).
- The POC should immediately contact the CDC Quarantine Station at or closest to the airport where you are arriving. Quarantine Stations are the primary contact with CDC. If unable to contact the nearest Quarantine Station, the POC should contact the CDC Quarantine Duty Officer on call at 866-694-4867.
- Contact information and jurisdictions of the CDC Quarantine Stations are found online at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/quarantine_stations.htm
Things to remember
- Get all the information you can from the ill person and provide it to the pilot.
- The Quarantine Station should be notified as soon as possible, and before arrival, so that the ground response can begin quickly.
- You can ask the Quarantine Station staff to help you evaluate an ill person or answer questions about reporting requirements and other issues.
* Fever means a temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or greater. Consider someone to have a fever if the ill person feels warm to the touch, gives a history of feeling feverish, or has an actual measured temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or greater.
