Metro News Release

For immediate release: December 5, 2008

Metro notifies select MetroAccess customers about possible tuberculosis exposure

Area health departments contacting individuals who should be evaluated

Metro has been working with the District of Columbia Department of Health to notify select MetroAccess customers that they may have come in contact with a MetroAccess driver who tested positive for tuberculosis. The driver is currently undergoing treatment and has not provided service since he was diagnosed.

At the request of the District of Columbia TB Control Program, Metro authorized the release of the names, phone numbers, dates of travel and pick-up and drop-off addresses for all customers who were transported by the driver from April through mid-October 2008, along with the names of employees who would have come into close contact with the driver during the same period of time. The list included individuals from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Metro sent a letter on November 19 to 762 MetroAccess customers who had any contact with the driver to notify them, as required by Metro's privacy policy, that Metro provided their information to the DC TB Control Program. Metro referred individuals with concerns about possible exposure to tuberculosis to call the District of Columbia TB Control Program at 202-698-4040.

Health departments in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia have been directly contacting those individuals who may need to be evaluated for tuberculosis. According to officials at the District of Columbia TB Control Program, only those people who were considered to be at risk were to be notified.

News release issued at 12:00 am, December 5, 2008.