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TORONTO/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian health officials said
on Friday that a death and reported outbreak of flu-like
symptoms aboard a cross-Canada train were not due to an
infectious disease and in fact were likely not related at all.
About 290 passengers and crew aboard the Vancouver-Toronto
train were still being held in quarantine near the tiny
northern Ontario town of Foleyet, but would likely be able to
continue their journey later on Friday, Ontario's top medical
official told a news conference.
"While the cause of death continues to be under
investigation, it has been determined that the deceased did
most likely not have an infectious disease," said Dr. David
Williams.
Early reports of the death and of emergency workers in
hazardous materials suits swarming the train had brought back
grim memories of the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) in Toronto, which killed dozens and put the
medical community on edge.
Williams said one woman -- reported to be in her 60s -- had
died suddenly aboard the VIA Rail train, while another had
displayed shortness of breath, most likely due to a
pre-existing medical condition. She was airlifted to a hospital
in nearby Timmins,
Five others traveling in a group had displayed flu-like
symptoms, but health officials determined they had been feeling
ill before boarding the train, and one had earlier visited a
clinic.
"It happened to be a confluence of three (events) at the
same time," Williams said.
The remaining passengers and crew are being screened as a
precaution, he said.
VIA Rail's trans-Canada services are popular with tourists,
many of whom board the train in the Pacific Coast city of
Vancouver, British Columbia, or in Jasper, Alberta, for the
spectacular journey through the Rocky Mountains.
(Additional reporting by Reuters correspondents in Toronto,
Ottawa and Vancouver; writing by Janet Guttsman and Cameron
French; editing by Rob Wilson)
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