Emirates Flight 203 from Dubai had to be quarantined at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York for several hours Wednesday morning (Sept. 5, 2018) after reporting that dozens of people felt ill. Emergency vehicles and medical personnel met the plane on the runway when it landed.

The plane sat on the runway for hours as medical personnel assessed each of the 520 people aboard the commercial airliner. At least 19 people were confirmed sick with 10 taken to a nearby hospital, according to media reports. Some feeling ill refused treatment, according to the press.

The cause of the outbreak is unknown at this time, but personnel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that met the jet at Terminal 4 told the press that passengers were reported to be coughing, were feverish and some also were vomiting.

The plane, an Airbus A380, arrived in New York about 9 a.m. EST. Authorities are speculating whether the cause is food poisoning, a virus or something else on the plane or among the passengers allowed to board in Dubai on the direct flight to New York City. The plane was quarantined while authorities undertook their investigation.