OTTAWA -- A VIA Rail employee who worked on two trains serving Ottawa the weekend of March 14 and 15 has tested positive for COVID-19.
The crown corporation is contacting passengers who might have been in direct or indirect contact with the employee to tell them about the situation.
In a statement, VIA says “we have recently been informed that one of our employees, who worked in the Quebec City – Windsor corridor has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).”
“The employee worked on March 14 and 15 and did not show any symptoms,” said VIA Rail, adding the employee worked on trains 61, 44, 643 and 68.
“The employee started experiencing symptoms on March 18, phoned health authorities on March 20 and was tested on March 21.”
The employee received confirmation of the positive test on March 23. VIA Rail says the employee did not report to work at any time while experiencing symptoms, and is now in isolation.
According to VIA Rail’s schedule, Train 44 runs from Toronto to Ottawa seven days a week, departing Toronto at 2:20 p.m. and arriving in Ottawa at 6:46 p.m.
Train 643 departs Ottawa for Toronto on Saturday and Sunday at 8:40 a.m.
Trains 61 and 68 run between Toronto and Montreal.
VIA Rail says “all employees and crew that could have been potentially exposed have been contacted. Although possible exposure remains minimal, we have made sure that all our employees and crew were notified as soon as we were made aware of the situation.”
“We continue to contact passengers who might have been in direct or indirect contact with our employee.”
