The Managing Director at Kamloops Airport says there hasn’t been in a noticeable decrease in passengers at the airport because of the coronavirus outbreak around the world.

However, as the B.C. Government urges people to avoid international travel over spring break, Ed Ratuski expects there to be some impacts moving forward.

“We’d really like to ensure that passengers are getting valid information from trusted sources when they’re making decisions about their travels and make sure that they have the most accurate information when they’re planning their travels,” he told NL News.

People on a flight from Calgary were delayed for about 20 minutes on Sunday after a fellow passenger reportedly fell ill.

Ratuski though says this passenger did not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms, though he notes airport staff are prepared to respond if a passenger was to test positive for the virus.

“We do have our emergency response plans that deal with these types of situations as they escalate,” he said. “And that’s why we work closely with the health authorities. In a situation like that, they would definitely take the lead and we would provide the support that they required.”

Ratuski says it is standard protocol to keep passengers on board while a medical assessment is underway, noting that protocol has been in place long before the COVID-19 outbreak around the world.