Toronto: The GO bus, on which an infected passenger rode from Pearson Airport to Richmond Hill, has been taken out of service for thorough cleaning, according to both GO Transit and its parent company Metrolinx.
“We ask anyone who boarded the route 40 bus at the airport on Feb 26 at 3:55 pm to Richmond Hill Centre should reach out to their doctor or public health for advice,” said a tweet.
“We are also doing our best to contact those customers who boarded the bus with registered Presto cards. Finally, we are expanding the use of a new long-acting disinfectant/anti-microbial agent to more vehicles, including buses, it added.
GO Transit yesterday said it was aware of the report by York Region Public Health, that a person travelling on a GO bus on February 26 from Pearson Airport to Richmond Hill, has been diagnosed with Covid-19.
Earlier, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, in a statement, referred to a female who arrived in Toronto on February 26 after a visit to Iran.
“After arriving in Toronto on February 26, a 34-year-old female presented herself to Mackenzie Health on February 27, with a travel history to Iran. York Region Public Health connected with Mackenzie Health and coordinated an arrival time for the patient. The patient was wearing a mask on arrival,” said Dr. Williams.
“The patient arrived at Mackenzie Health with a dry cough, runny nose, shortness of breath and headache and was put on airborne/droplet/contact precautions. Due to the low severity of symptoms and the condition of the patient, the patient was not admitted to hospital. The patient is in self-isolation, per protocols, where she remains,” he added.
GO Transit and its parent company, Metrolinx, said they were cooperating with public health to assist in identifying customers on the bus.
“We’ll continue to keep our staff & customers informed of the evolving situation with Covid-19. We are also distributing sanitizers throughout our stations & thoroughly cleaning our vehicles. Any customers or staff who have concerns about their health should call their doctor,” GO Transit and Metrolinx tweeted.
Public Health and the Ontario Ministry of Health continue to reinforce the risk is low and we are following all of their advice and guidance, they added.
11 Ontario Covid-19 cases
Meanwhile, three new positive cases of Covid-19 announced yesterday by Dr. Williams, brings the number of confirmed cases in Ontario to 11.
Of these, eight are in Toronto, two in Ajax and one in London. Ontario’s first three cases are all resolved, with each of those patients having two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
Meantime, the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised the global risk assessment of Covid-19 infection to “very high” on Friday.
Dr. David Williams said the latest case in Toronto was of a man in his 80s, who, after arriving on February 20, presented himself at Scarborough Health Network’s General Hospital’s emergency department on February 27, with a travel history to Egypt.
A Toronto Public Health media release said the patient was cared for at the hospital using all appropriate precautions, including being isolated as he was tested for Covid-19. The man was discharged home the same day feeling well and, per protocols, went into self-isolation where he remains.
Throughout his travels, the man wore a mask, it added.
Durham Cases
Two patients tested positive for Covid-19 at Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering.
They are both residents of Ajax, according to Mayor Shaun Collier.
A 51-year-old woman returned to Toronto from Iran on February 22. On February 28, she went to an Ajax clinic with symptoms of a cough, body aches and chills. The patient was masked and isolated.
Durham Region Health Department contacted Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering and coordinated an arrival time for the patient. The patient arrived at the hospital wearing a mask where she was tested for Covid-19. She was discharged home and put in self-isolation, per protocols, where she remains, said the statement.
The husband of the woman, also tested positive for Covid-19 on February 28. The 69-year-old man experienced a cough but does not have a recent travel history to Iran. He accompanied his wife to the Ajax Clinic and Lakeridge Health Ajax Pickering, where he was masked and isolated. He was tested for Covid-19 and discharged home. He has also been put in self-isolation, where he remains, the statement added.
Lakeridge Health yesterday confirmed Dr. Willams statements, saying it received confirmation that the two individuals who presented at Ajax Pickering Hospital’s emergency department (ED) on Friday, February 28, have tested positive for Covid-19.
The married couple are currently at home in self-isolation and actively being monitored by the Durham Region Health Department, said a hospital statement.
Toronto Public Health said at this time the virus is not circulating locally, However, given the global circumstances, Ontario is actively working with city and health partners to plan for the potential of local spread. The province continues to carefully monitor this situation and encourage residents to stay informed by regularly reviewing credible information sources.
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