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...
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
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