United passenger who died on flight had Covid

The United Airlines passenger who fell ill on a Los Angeles flight last week died of Covid-19 complications, according to a coroner’s report.

The flight was diverted to New Orleans due to the medical emergency, and there has been speculation the 69-year-old man had been positive for Covid-19.

That prompted the CDC to contact the airline for a passenger manifest so contract tracing could begin straight away.

United said the passenger had signed the ‘Ready to Fly” health declaration which requires passengers to certify they don’t have symptoms and have not tested positive.

The coroner’s report was released Monday confirming the cause of death as acute respiratory failure and Covid-19.

It was initially thought to be cardiac arrest when the man became unresponsive.

It is thought to be the second death aboard a flight related to Covid-19.

A woman died from Covid-19 on a Spirit Airlines Dallas-bound flight in July.

Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor