(CP)
Monday, May 12, 2008

TORONTO—The Ontario coroner’s office says a South African woman whose death sparked a full-scale health scare was killed by a blood clot.
Dr. William Lucas says 43-year-old Brenda Buckley died of a pulmonary embolism.

Lucas could not confirm media reports the clot developed as a result of deep-vein thrombosis—an ailment that can develop when people sit for long periods of time—but says it is a likely cause.
Buckley’s death on Friday prompted officials to quarantine the Via Rail train on which she was travelling, halting the trip some 100 km west of Timmins, Ont.
Fears of an infectious disease outbreak were fuelled when some passengers fell ill with common ’flu symptoms and another woman was airlifted to hospital as a result of a pre-existing respiratory condition.
Buckley’s body will be flown back to South Africa this week.