198 MRT-3 personnel COVID-19 positive, says DOTr

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 198 MRT-3 employees have so far been infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday.

According to an update from Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran, of the 198 infected employees, 15 are ticket sellers, three are train drivers, two control center personnel, and one nurse.

The 177 others are depot personnel.

Of the 15 ticket sellers, eight were stationed in North Avenue Station, three in Araneta Center-Cubao Station, two in GMA-Kamuning Station, one in Quezon Ave Station while the other one is on reserve status.

Due to the possible contact with passengers, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan urged MRT-3 riders who boarded the train via the said stations to monitor their health and be on the lookout for symptoms of the respiratory disease.

“Ang advise sa atin ng DOH (Department of Health) is to announce, kami ay maglalabas ng mga press statements at mga anunsyo upang ‘yung ating mga pasahero na gumamit ng mga istasyon na ito ay magobserba ng kanilang sintomas. At kung magkaroon ng sintomas ay pumunta sa kinauukulang health centers nila,” Batan said in a televised press briefing.

(The DOH advised us to announce, we will issue press statements and announcements so that our passengers who used these stations will monitor their health and watch out for symptoms. If they experience  symptoms of the disease, they should immediately proceed to healthcare centers.)

He added that the DOTr is already in coordination with the DOH on how to proceed with contact tracing.

MRT-3 suspended operations amid the spike in the number of employees  with COVID-19.

RT-PCR (swab) testing of all MRT-3 personnel, including those of its maintenance provider and subcontractors will be conducted, the MRT-3 management said.

Thorough disinfection of all MRT-3 facilities will also be conducted, including its depot, stations, and trains.

The DOH earlier cited the MRT-3 as among the “closed-setting facilities” with the clustering of cases in Metro Manila.

The MRT-3 resumed operations on June 1 on a limited capacity following the relaxation of coronavirus quarantine measures in Metro Manila.

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