Influenza risk increased when exposed to coughing on flights
4 June 2010
If you are sitting within 2 rows of a person coughing on a long-haul flight you have good cause for concern.
New Zealand data has shown there is a small but measurable risk of contracting influenza from infected passengers on long-haul flights — isolated to those sitting within 2 rows of the infected individual (BMJ online first).
Researchers analysed the symptoms of a group of 24 New Zealand school children who boarded a flight from Mexico to Auckland at the start of the influenza A (H1N1) — swine flu — 2009 pandemic. Nine members of the group had laboratory-confirmed swine flu infection.
Follow-up showed 2 passengers seated within 2 rows of the children developed the same infection 12 and 48 hours after the flight.
This represented 3.5 per cent of the 57 passengers seated together.
Last Reviewed: 04 June 2010
- 1. Baker MG, Thornley CN, Mills C, et al. Transmission of pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza on passenger aircraft: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2010; 340: c2424. Available at: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/340/may21_1/c2424
