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Joke about monkeypox led to police call, evacuation of MARTA train

The passenger who made the monkeypox joke on Monday was having an allergic reaction, MARTA said.

ATLANTA — A joke about monkeypox led to a police call and then the evacuation of a MARTA train earlier this week, officials said.

The incident occurred Monday afternoon. According to MARTA spokeswoman Stephany Fisher, it began when a passenger who was on a train traveling to the East Point Station "overheard a passenger say they had monkeypox."

The person who overheard that statement called MARTA police and reported it.

"We’ve learned the passenger was having an allergic reaction and was joking about monkeypox," Fisher said. "Police evacuated the train and sent it to a rail yard for cleaning out of an abundance of caution and the other passengers boarded another train to get to their destinations."

RELATED: Georgia health officials release guidelines to protect against monkeypox transmission

MARTA added that while the incident was a misunderstanding, "MARTA continues to take the health and safety of our customers and employees seriously."

The transit agency pointed to Georgia Department of Public Health guidance that notes monkeypox most often spreads "person-to-person through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids."

"Most settings where people congregate such as workplaces, schools, grocery stores, gas station, or public transportation are not considered high risk settings for monkeypox transmission," GaDPH guidance states.

"Unlike COVID, it is not transmissible through the air but we encourage customers to continue wearing masks for their comfort. Frequent handwashing also remains an effective way to reduce the transmission of most illnesses," MARTA said. "Additionally, MARTA will continue the routine cleaning and disinfection of all vehicles implemented during COVID and any in-service cleaning necessitated by a sick patron."

   

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