Woman jabbed with needle while running errands in downtown Toronto
Junlan Li was running errands in downtown Toronto Sunday when she says a passerby bumped into her and jabbed a needle in her back.
The incident, described in a now-viral Reddit post uploaded by Li, happened in the area of Yonge and College streets just after 3:15 p.m.
“I was just going to the grocery store, thinking about all the things I needed to buy, and then someone bumped me from behind, in a specific spot in my back, and I thought, ‘That was kind of weird,’” Li told CTV News Toronto Monday.
Then, Li says a witness stopped her and told her they saw something more concerning and that the person who bumped into her had actually “poked” her on purpose.
“He asked me to check and see if I lost anything, if the [person] tried to pickpocket me or anything,” Li said.
After not immediately seeing anything of concern, Li thanked the Good Samaritan for stopping her, and went on her “merry way.”
But halfway down the next block, she says her back started to feel like it was burning.
“I reached up and touched my back, roughly where I was hit, [and] there was just a tiny puncture mark,” Li said.
At that moment, Li says she turned around, searched the nearest emergency department in the area, and walked straight there.
She says spent five hours at the hospital and that doctors treated the wound as a suspected needlestick.
She also says she has an appointment scheduled with an infectious disease specialist Tuesday.
On Reddit, she said the doctors ordered blood tests, and told her she has 72 hours to get post-exposure prophylaxis, or “PEP,” if an infectious disease clinic believes she needs it.
PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a type of medicine to prevent HIV, and treatment has to be started within 72 hours after a possible and recent exposure.
TPS INVESTIGATING
Li first called Toronto police’s non-emergency line while she was waiting at the hospital, and said it took about two hours to make a statement.
When reached for comment, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) confirmed with CTV News Toronto it is currently reviewing surveillance footage to find the suspect.
A spokesperson for the TPS could not provide any updates to CTV News Toronto, citing the ongoing investigation.
“This is not a common incident,” Const. Cindy Chung said. “If this does happen to someone, I would recommend that they report the incident to police and follow up with the hospital and complete any testing recommended to ensure their health and safety.”
Meanwhile, Li says she still feels a bit sore following the incident, and is grateful to the Good Samaritan who stopped her on the street.
“I usually have a bit of back pain, so I had not really clued into it.”
Without him, she says, “I might not have realized that there was something wrong.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.