US Surgeon General Jerome Adams helps sick patient on Delta flight

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams is the country's top doctor

"Is there a doctor on board?" the flight crew asked, when a passenger lost consciousness before takeoff on board a US Delta Air Lines plane.

There is indeed, the answer came - no less than the country's top doctor.

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams helped with a medical emergency on Wednesday on board the aircraft, which was due to leave Florida for Georgia.

He and two nurses then recommended that the individual, who had regained consciousness, be taken to hospital.

The passenger is reported to be in a stable condition following the incident on board the Delta flight, which was due to leave Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida bound for Atlanta, Georgia.

After Mr Adams tweeted about the incident and a flurry of news organisations picked up the story, he added a clarifying statement on Facebook to indicate that other people were also involved.

"Yesterday I had the good fortune to be part of a TEAM that responded to a medical emergency on a Delta flight," he wrote.

"The truth is, there are doctors, nurses, and techs who step up each and every day to respond to emergencies on flights, and they ALL should be recognised and thanked."

He also thanked the crew and the "cool as a cucumber" captain.

The surgeon general is the US government's top spokesperson on matters of public health.