Ottawa Public Health looking for six who shared ride from Toronto with COVID-19-positive person

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is trying to track down six people who were exposed to someone with COVID-19 when they shared a ride from Toronto.

The health unit says it's investigating a person who tested positive for COVID-19, who travelled from Toronto to Ottawa on February 16, using a private rideshare service while they were contagious. 

The rideshare included six other people, including the driver of the vehicle.

As part of the COVID-19 case management and contact tracing process, OPH follows up with close contacts of anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. If the health unit is unable to identify close contacts of someone who has tested positive, a public release could be issued to reach those contacts.

The six people OPH is looking for are asked to immediately self-isolate and contact the health unit by calling 613-580-6744 for further testing.

OPH says the vehicle involved in this case is a white van, which left Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre around 1 p.m., on February 16, and arrived in Ottawa around 6 p.m., making stops to drop off passengers at the Bayshore Shopping Centre, the CF Rideau Centre, and the St. Laurent Shopping Centre.

Ottawa Public Health recommends travel by car only with people from the same household. Anyone travelling with others outside of their households should wear a mask, avoid any shared food or drinks, and avoid car travel with others if they're sick.