Washington, Dec 5 (IANS): Police in the US state of Maryland stopped a coronavirus-infected child from boarding a flight a plane on the eve of Thanksgiving, authorities said.

The nine-year-old boy had tested positive for Covid-19 in Wicomico County, and the local health department was unable to reach his mother to notify her, Xinhua news agency quoted police Sgt. Travis Nelson as saying this week.

Nelson said the police authorities were contacted at about 3 p.m. on November 24 and were notified that the two were planning to fly to Puerto Rico from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Airport in an hour and 15 minutes.

Police intercepted them at the airport and helped them get in touch with the Wicomico health department, Nelson said.

The official added that the boy and his mother have returned home to take self-quarantine as required.

According to the Johns Hopkins University, more than 205,000 people in Maryland have been infected with the novel coronavirus and a total of 4,764 have died.