Los Angeles, Mar 10 (AFP) Mounting concern over the spread of coronavirus was apparently behind a US flight being diverted at the weekend after passengers became upset over someone sneezing and coughing.

United Airlines told AFP in a statement that the flight -- headed from Eagle, Colorado, to Newark, New Jersey -- was diverted on Sunday afternoon to Denver's international airport.

The plane was allowed to continue on to New Jersey after a small group of people who raised a ruckus over fears a passenger who was sneezing and coughing may be sick with the virus were taken off the flight, local media quoted officials as saying.

The airline said the incident "was in no way a medical situation."

It told local media that the passenger who was sneezing had allergies and was evaluated and allowed to stay on the flight.

"After landing safely, the aircraft was met by law enforcement" the airline said. (AFP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)