• The STM has taken new protective rules to work against the spread of COVID-19 in Montreal, which now has a total of 21 confirmed cases in the region.
• As of March 17 at 1 p.m., Quebec has 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• Get more information below.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

The STM has taken new protective rules to work against the spread of COVID-19 in Montreal, all of which actively help reduce direct contact — as this is how the virus is most likely to be transmitted. The STM's new updates include changes in its buses, metros, and paratransit system. These measures were taken as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Quebec rises to 63, with 21 of these cases being in the Montreal region.

New rules for riding any STM bus include going in through the back door, which applies to everyone except for wheelchair users and keeping the seat directly in the back of the driver's free at all times. The 747 information booth is closed for the time being, and there is also now a "limit of one customer per group taxi."

As for the metro, all ticket purchases must be done through the automatic distribution machines at the stations. There will be no travel support for the time being "due to declining ridership." And, all station agents must remain in their booths when speaking to customers.

And for the STM's paratransit, they are "suspending fare collection in all paratransit vehicles."

The STM also included the statement saying, "We wish to reiterate that public transit remains low-risk. We are keeping a close eye on the developments of the situation and are preparing various scenarios in order to respond to them."

Below is the latest update from Santé Québec about the current situation of COVID-19 in the province.

This tweet reports that there are now 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Quebec, 3513 who remain under investigation for potentially having the virus, and 3723 people who tested negative for coronavirus in the province.

You can see a breakdown of the number of confirmed cases per Quebec region here.

READ ALSO:Anyone Who Took The Same STM Route As Person With COVID-19 Is Asked To Watch For Symptoms

I personally, would like to applaud the STM for implementing these necessary measures during this time of uneasiness.

Below is the Facebook post where the STM shared its newest updates for protective measures against the spread of COVID-19 in buses, metros, and stations.

It's easy to believe that the STM got their inspiration for these new measures from the STL, which announced similar rules on March 16.

READ ALSO:Laval Bus Drivers Telling Passengers To Avoid The Front Of The Bus & Get On Via Back Door

Quebec health officials released guidelines for individuals to follow to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the province, you can read about them here.

More information on hygiene practices during the pandemic is available on the Government of Canada's website here.

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