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Passengers on board a VIA train have a mystery illness

Canadian health officials have said there was no infectious disease outbreak on a train that was quarantined, trapping hundreds of passengers on board.

The scare occurred in northern Ontario after a woman died and several other people reported being ill.

Dr David Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer, said the elderly woman who died did not have an infectious disease and that the illnesses were not related.

Dr Williams said a person who was airlifted from the scene to a hospital had shortness of breath and that five other people who reported being sick on the train had unrelated minor illnesses.

"The origin of the illness that caused the passenger death is unknown at this time," Dr Williams said. "Lab tests have to date eliminated a number of serious infectious illnesses."

Dr Williams anticipated that the train will continue on to Toronto.

Officials kept passengers from leaving the train, said Steve Trinier, the director of ambulance services in the area.

The train, carrying 264 passengers and 30 crew members, was being held in the station in the town of Foleyet, 500 miles north-west of Toronto. The station was evacuated.

The cross country Via Rail passenger train was headed from Vancouver to Toronto when emergency officials received a call and met the train in Foleyet.

Fears of infectious diseases have become more prominent in recent years after the 2003 Sars outbreak. Sars - severe acute respiratory syndrome - killed several hundred people in 2003 and caused widespread panic, damaging the economies of Canada and the other countries affected.