MRT suspends ops from July 7 to 11 after over 100 staff get COVID-19

The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) will temporarily suspend operations for an estimate of five days starting Tuesday, July 7, following the surge in employees who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019.

According to Undersecretary Timothy John Batan, the temporary suspension of operations from July 7 to July 11 will make way for the testing of personnel of the MRT3.

"Gagawin po natin 'yan dahil sa gusto po natin matapos 'yung tinatawag natin na swab testing o RT-PCR testing ng lahat ng ating tauhan, lahat ng ating MRT3 personnel," he said in a virtual briefing.

Batan clarified, however, that the suspension may be faster or longer than five days depending on the swab testing of employees.

The DOTr earlier on Monday said a total of 186 personnel tested positive for COVID-19, with 1,507 personnel still set to be tested.

Batan said that the MRT3 currently has a total workforce of 3,200 and a total of 1,300 personnel are needed to resume operations at a minimum.

"Ngayon kailangan pa natin ng 964 na confirmed na negative bago tayo makapag-resume so 'pag naabot natin 'yang 960 na additional na confirmed negative, pwede tayong magresume ng operations," he explained.

The latest data indicates that personnel at the MRT3 stations also tested positive, adding to the personnel deployed at the MRT3 depot who make up bulk of the positive cases.

"'Yung trigger talaga natin is 'yung kuna maalala niyo 'yung earlier natin na mga COVID-19 cases ay naka-confine lang sa depot so 'yang depot natin ay wala 'yang interaction or wala 'yang interface with our passengers," said Batan.

"However, itong late last week, nag-umpisa nitong Friday and Saturday ay nakapagtala tayo ng positive cases sa ilan nating mga stations," he added.

Moving forward, Batan said the DOTr will release relevant details of the personnel at the MRT3 stations who tested positive.

"We will be releasing 'yung location as well as 'yung timeframe, time period na andun 'yung ating concerned na mga personnel," he said.

MRT3 Director for Operations Michael Capati said contact tracing measures will also be studied while operations are suspended. —NB/LDF, GMA News