Originally posted by: The Toronto Star One woman has died and another is in emergency care in a Timmins hospital after an illness broke out aboard a Toronto-bound VIA train in northern Ontario this morning.
But Ontario's medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, says there is no evidence of any infectious disease outbreak related to the death of a VIA train passenger en route to Toronto.
At a 4 p.m. news conference, Dr. Williams, said the woman's death was "not related" to the symptoms felt by the other passengers. Their illnesses were minor, Dr. Williams said, while the cause of the woman's death is still to be determined.
Five other people, believed to be part of the same seven-member tour group, have reported flu-like symptoms, but are being treated on the train, which is quarantined in Foyelet, a small town northwest of Sudbury.
Kali Garneau, communications co-ordinator for Timmins & District Hospital, said one person was taken by air ambulance to the hospital at 11 a.m.
"We only received one person," Garneau said.
That patient, a female, is in stable condition and is in quarantine, Garneau said.
Garneau did not know if that person was related to the person who died.
There is no other hospital in the area.
The train, carrying 264 passengers, was stopped at Foleyet at about 8:35 a.m. after CN Rail was informed that a woman had taken ill and had stopped breathing.
The woman who died was 60 and a member of a group of seven travellers. Her name was not immediately released.
All the people who became ill boarded the same two cars in Jasper, Alta.
The train, which was due to arrive in Toronto at 8 p.m. today, started its journey on Tuesday afternoon in Vancouver.
VIA Rail said it has set up a toll-free number that can be called for family members who may be on that train. That number is 1-877-747-0707.
"VIA continues to be in contact with appropriate health and transportation authorities to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers and crew on board," the VIA statement said.
At the outset, police were investigating to see if there is "any criminal element" to the situation, Sgt. Laura Nichols said.
Emergency personnel with full protective gear went car to car to examine the passengers, assisted by a doctor who was aboard the train.
Foleyet resident Judy Bromley, who could see the train from the front window of her home, said she saw ambulance workers outside her home preparing to enter the train. "They stopped outside, put on white suits and masks, then got back in and left."
Police blocked the entrance to the local CN yard at Young St. and Railway Ave.
Dr. Donald Low, the medical director of Ontario's public health lab, said he doesn't believe an exotic disease such as SARS or avian flu is responsible.
"It doesn't fit the profile because of the explosive nature of this event," said Low, who helped co-ordinate efforts to contain Toronto's SARS outbreak.
Low said food poisoning isn't likely either because it "usually doesn't kill you" and that is associated with gastrointestinal problems and diarrhea.
He said early indications suggest that influenza may be the cause.
"You've got 10 people showing the same symptoms," he said. "I think it could be an outbreak of influenza. This (death) is typical of an older person who maybe has an underlying heart disease."
Both SARS and avian flu take several days to manifest themselves, but the illness that struck the passengers appeared to come on suddenly, he noted.
Low said he will know more when the public health lab in Toronto gets specimens from the health lab in Timmins, likely within the next 24 hours.
Ontario's Ministry of Health has sent two air ambulances with critical care paramedics to the scene from thei
