A couple that visited friends in Manchester, United Kingdom has triggered the first coronavirus outbreak for vacation returnees in Spandau, Berlin, Germany. Of the 50 identified contacts, 13 already tested positive while 37 others have been placed into quarantine.
On 16 July at Manchester Airport, the couple boarded Ryanair flight FR1145 operated by Malta Air Boeing 737-800 9H-QAI. Both already showed the first symptoms of the virus: soar throat and coughing. After landing at Berlin Schönefeld, the couple simply drove home to their four children and mother-in-law.
Finally, the couple went to visit a doctor, the local health department learned of the positive test results six days (!) after landing.
A Ryanair spokeswoman said to Aviation24.be that Ryanair routinely deals with public health authorities’ requests for passenger contact lists in the face of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 cases: “We received the request from the Health Department of the Berlin-Spandau District Office on July 22nd and Ryanair responded the same day with the appropriate documentation to release the flight manifest under GDPR regulations. The German health authorities only followed up 5 days later (July 27th) and we supplied the requested passenger details”.
