COVID-19 cases among MRT-3 depot personnel rise to 127

Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — The coronavirus disease disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected 35 more depot personnel of  the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3), after 92 cases were earlier reported, the Department of Transportation said Thursday.

“From 92 nung Tuesday, ngayon pong umaga 127 cases po dito sa depot,” Transportation Undersecretary for Rails Timothy John Bathan announced in an online press briefing.

(From 92 cases on Tuesday, this morning we now have 127 total cases here in the depot.)

Of the total number of infected depot personnel, 124 are from MRT-3 maintenance provider Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-TES Philippines, Bathan said.

MRT-3 director Michael Capati said 43 of the infected workers are under home quarantine, 74 are staying at government-owned facilities while the rest are at quarantine centers in local government units.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran stressed that no COVID-19 case has been reported among station personnel dealing directly with MRT-3 passengers.

“Itong mga personnel na nag-test positive ay mga depot personnel hindi ito yung mga station personnel na nakakasalamuha ng mga pasahero,” Libiran said during the online press conference.

(The personnel who tested positive are depot personnel and not station personnel who directly interact with passengers.)

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