Metrolinx to contact passengers on GO bus that transported coronavirus patient

Metrolinx says they will attempt to contact passengers who were on a GO Transit bus that transported a woman who was recently diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins said Sunday they will be contacting passengers who have registered their Presto card and had provided contact information, such as a phone number, with their registration information.

On Saturday, York Regional Health said a woman travelling back from Iran had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Dr. Karim Kurji, York Region’s Medical Officer of Health, said a woman in her 30s boarded a GO Bus after arriving at Pearson Airport on Feb. 26. He asked anybody who sat on the upper level of bus 40 at around 3:55 p.m. that was travelling to Richmond Hill Centre to contact health officials.

“I have to emphasize that often when we do this sort of contact tracing, the individuals that we find usually do not develop symptoms,” said Kurji, adding that he still wants people who were on the bus to get in touch just to be safe.

“We consider the risk level [in the bus] to be much lower than a plane. There’s more ventilation, the period of travel is much less in time.”

Kurji said concerned passengers can call York Region Health at 1-800-361-5653, Monday to Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., “for further assessment.”

Aikins echoed Kurji’s statements on Sunday, saying anyone who was on that bus trip should reach out to health officials.

The bus in question has been taken out of service for a thorough cleaning and disinfecting. The same type of disinfectant chemicals will also be used on other GO Transit vehicles, she added.

The TTC says they have also increased cleaning of their vehicles.

In a statement they said in part:

“On the operations side, we have increased end of line cleaning and are conducting daily sanitizing/wipe downs of hand rails/straps on vehicles and in stations, including hand rails on stairs and touch points in public washrooms. We’re also looking into options for disinfectant spray applications in vehicles.”

On Saturday, the government announced three new COVID-19 cases, all in the Greater Toronto Area.

Health officials said two of the patients — both women — had recently travelled to Iran, while a third man is married to one of the women.

All have mild symptoms and are self-isolated at home, they said.