Flight diverted after complaints about coughing, sneezing passenger

A United Airlines flight from Colorado to New Jersey was diverted and landed in Denver after several passengers reportedly grew unruly after being seated next to a passenger they thought was ill.

The Associated Press reported that United Airlines Flight 1562 landed in Denver shortly after takeoff on Sunday after three passengers failed to follow crew member instructions after growing upset about being seated next to the supposedly sick passenger. The passenger in question was apparently suffering from allergy symptoms, and was screened for a fever onboard, which came back negative.

The three unruly passengers were removed by police in Denver, while the remaining passengers and crew continued on to Newark, according to Fox.

News of the disruption onboard the flight comes as fears of a coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. have grown in recent days amid warnings from health officials that local hospitals and labs do not have sufficient testing capabilities for the virus.

The novel form of coronavirus, believed to have originated in China, has so far sickened more than 110,000 people around the world, killing thousands.