Posted on 05/09/2008 8:04:35 AM PDT by fanfan
A Via Rail train, carrying more than 260 passengers to Toronto, has been quarantined in Foleyet, Ont. after one person died and several people fell ill.
"Currently there are a few people who are seriously ill on the train and one person is being airlifted right now," OPP Sgt. Laura Nichols told CTV.ca from the North Bay Communications Centre.
The train was quarantined at the train depot in Foleyet, a community near Sudbury, Ont., after officials notified police that someone was feeling ill. More than 260 people were aboard the train when it stopped in Foleyet.
Police believe there are a total of four to five people who are ill on the train, experiencing flu-like symptoms.
"As far as determining what it is, we're not there yet," Nichols said.
Via Rail spokesperson Catherine Kaloutsky told CTV News she can confirm that one person has died, but they are waiting for more details from the scene.
The train had left from Jasper and was bound for Toronto, Nichols said.
CN Rail spokesperson Frank Binder confirmed to CTV.ca that the train has come to a stop in Foleyet.
"Our crews have come to a complete stop at that location and they are dealing with emergency personnel there."
With more to come...
This doesn’t sound good. Have we raised out threat level yet?
Ping...
From Jasper. This is newsworthy for now.
Wonder if it was from eating some of that wonderful, “gourmet” train food?
Ping
Wonder if it could be bird flu, and where is Jasper. The location could be significant in terms of migratory bird flight patterns. Did the dead person have farm/bird contacts?
I’ve never heard of the authorities quarantining a whole train here before.
Ah, that’s right - I had the lasagne.
Many possibilities. Legionaire’s Disease. Bird Flu. more, much more.
Remember the beginning of Stephen King's The Stand?
Back away from the pasta!
“... and where is Jasper?”
Southeast Texas, home of Byrd dragging.
Would people show symptoms that quickly from the bird flu?
Scary stuff. I’ll be staying tuned on this one.
Foleyet 's claim to fame, white moose .
Thanks Joe,I just put the news on.Prayers for everyone.
I’m wondering if the people who are symptomatic may have been travelling together, a large family maybe?
A Via Rail train, carrying more than 260 passengers to Toronto, has been quarantined in Foleyet, Ont. after one person died and several people fell ill.
“Currently there are a few people who are seriously ill on the train and one person is being airlifted right now,” OPP Sgt. Laura Nichols told CTV.ca from the North Bay Communications Centre.
The train was quarantined at the train depot in Foleyet, a community near Sudbury, Ont., after officials notified police that someone was feeling ill.
Police believe there are a total of four to five people who are ill on the train, experiencing flu-like symptoms.
“As far as determining what it is, we're not there yet,” Nichols said.
Via Rail spokesperson Catherine Kaloutsky told CTV News she can confirm that one person has died, but they are waiting for more details from the scene.
The train had left from Jasper and was bound for Toronto, Nichols said.
CN Rail spokesperson Frank Binder confirmed to CTV.ca that the train has come to a stop in Foleyet.
“Our crews have come to a complete stop at that location and they are dealing with emergency personnel there.”
The Canadian Press reported that only emergency response personnel are being allowed on or off the train, which was carrying 260 passengers and 30 crewmembers.
A CN Rail sleep station has evacuated and local health facilities are on standby.
“The whole place is being overrun with ambulances and police cars, and we've got helicopters,’’ said Deborah DesRochers, chairwoman of the town of 380 about 100 kilometres southwest of Timmins.
“They've got the train quarantined. They're trying to isolate what it is,” she told CP.
I didn’t read that one (and, no, I’m not stuck in Iraq) — I’ll check it out. Thanks.
If the flu-like symptoms include diarrhea I wouln’t rule out ricin.
Lovely.
Police said as many as 10 people were ill with flu-like symptoms when the train made its regular morning stop in Foleyet.
The illnesses appeared to be contained to two train cars.
Airlift. That’s like a germ crop-duster...
If it was bird flu, it would probably have been contracted by the dead person before getting on the train. So the question might be, are the other sick people traveling together with that person, or did they pick up something on the train?
If it was the latter, then food poisoning seems more likely to me. How long does it take to travel across Canada by train? Three days? Four?
I guess it depends on what the reporters mean by flu-like. Do they mean upper respiratory symptoms, or are the referring to the so-called GI flu, which isn’t an respiratory illness at all.
I wonder if they had the Chicken or the Fish...
Good question. Can you come down with bird flu symptoms in a couple of days, the likely travel time from Vancouver to somewhere in Ontario?
How long a ride would that be, time-wise?
I have no idea how long the trip would be.
See 39
I have taken that train from Toronto to Vancouver (and back). It stops right outside a very good hamburger stand in Winnipeg and Jasper.
CTV.ca Videos
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/train-death/#clip51913
Dr. Michael Gardam, infectious diseases expert, says they have no information that the death is actually connected with the illnesses of the other persons.
Wouldn't that take longer to kill someone than the train ride would have lasted?
Seems like if it was terrorists they would have done gas or bio to the entire train not just a couple of cars.
Two cars only? How many cars were there total? If it was food poisoning it would be more widespread than 2 cars.
The time frame rules out avian flu, it seems to me.
Its 3-4 days from B.C. to Jasper. . .
Unless, the person who died was infectious when they got on, and then infected the others...still, not enough time . . .
More likely poison or food contamination of some sort.
Thanks for the ping Joe. FF ~ keep us posted on the latest please.
according to viaRailCanada a trip from Vancouver to Foleyet takes 2 days 11 hours.
VirginiaMom
Avian influenza (" bird flu") - Fact sheet
As for bird flu, looks like incubation takes a while, but the decline can be rapid.
My family once took the train from New York City to Seattle, back in the 60s. It took us four days, with a change of trains in Chicago.
That was quite a while ago, but I figure the time across Canada is probably similar.
If this is really a GI bug, suppose it could something as mundane as a norovirus.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.