30 TTC staff and six Metrolinx employees test positive for COVID-19

Almost 40 GTA transit workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days, and one workplace outbreak has been declared.

In a release issued on January 20, Metrolinx reported that six employees had contracted coronavirus in the last week. The new cases are staff members who work in bus operations, finance, and rail fleet maintenance.

The transit agency also reported its first workplace outbreak to date, after two bus operators at its Oshawa Garage tested positive.

Metrolinx noted that a workplace outbreak is defined as two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period where there is an epidemiological link, such as a shared shift or workspace.

To date, there have been 67 virus cases amongst Metrolinx staff.

According to ATU Local 113 – the TTC’s union – 30 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 since January 14.

One of the new cases is a bus operator based out of the Malvern Division who tested positive on January 14. The employee’s last shift was on January 12.

As well, three streetcar operators from Leslie Barns contracted the virus, each receiving a positive test on January 18. Two of them last worked on January 14, while the other’s most recent shift was January 15.

The other confirmed cases include a service person at Eglinton Garage, a subway operator in the Danforth Division, and a bus operator from the Wilson Division.

A total of 431 TTC employees have now tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic in March 2020.

To date, Ontario has seen 247,564 COVID-19 cases and 5,614 virus-related deaths.