This information also available as a PDF: Notification to Public Health Authorities of Ill Passengers and Crew on Flights Destined for the United States (139.00 KB, 1 page)

Federal regulations

Pursuant to 42 CFR 71.21(b), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires the
commander of an aircraft destined for a U.S. airport to report immediately to the CDC Quarantine Station at or closest to the port of arrival any death or illness among passengers or crew. The illness or death should be reported before arrival at the airport.

Required reporting

A person displaying any of the following conditions is considered “ill” and must be reported under federal regulations:

1. fever* that has lasted more than 48 hours;
2. fever* of any duration plus any one of the following:
   • rash, or
   • swelling of the lymph glands, or
   • jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes);
3. diarrhea (three or more loose stools—or a greater than normal number of loose stools—in a 24-hour period)

Requested reporting

In addition to the required reporting above, CDC requests that you report a person displaying the following conditions because they may indicate a serious, contagious illness:

1. fever* of any duration plus any one of the following:
   • difficulty breathing, or
   • headache with stiff neck, or
   • reduced level of consciousness, or
   • unexplained bleeding.

To help public health officials act quickly, CDC recommends the following:

• Upon learning of a possible communicable illness or a death on board, the pilot, or designee, should immediately notify their land-based point of contact (for example, Operations Center, Flight Control, airline station manager) and provide the ill person’s name, seat number, symptoms, approximate age, and point of origin.
• The point of contact should immediately notify the CDC Quarantine Station at or closest to the airport where you are arriving. If unable to reach the closest Quarantine Station, contact the CDC Quarantine Duty Officer on call at 866-694-4867.
  • CDC Quarantine Stations, their contact information, and areas of jurisdiction are found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/quarantine_stations.htm.
• The CDC Quarantine Station staff can help you evaluate an ill person and answer other questions regarding reporting requirements.

* Fever means a temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or greater. Flight crew should 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.