203 MRT personnel positive for COVID-19 after testing all 3,304 workers —DOTr exec

A total of 203 Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT3) workers were found positive for COVID-19 after testing all of its 3,304 personnel, Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran said Thursday.

“Testing of all personnel completed as of yesterday,” Libiran said.

Libiran told GMA News Online that 1,199 MRT3 personnel already tested negative for COVID-19, as of Thursday. She said MRT3 is still waiting for other results to come out.

She added 1,308 personnel are needed to resume operations at a minimum.

In a message to reporters, Libiran said, however, it does not mean that MRT3 is only waiting for 109 more personnel to test negative to resume train operation on limited capacity.

“Meron kasi tayong minimum number of persons needed per station, task or area. Example, on station personnel, out of 1,440, kailangan namin ng at least 1,038 to operate on limited capacity,” she said.

According to Libiran, MRT3 still needs additional 921 employees to test negative.

“Sa depot naman, out of 1,718 personnel, we only need 182 personnel to run on limited capacity. As of yesterday, na-meet na ‘yung 182,” she added.

She clarified that 15 of the infected personnel were deployed at train stations, and not 16 as previously reported.

“Nagkaroon ng double count earlier sa ticket sellers per MRT3,” she explained.

Only 14, and not 15, were designated as ticket sellers at different stations—seven at North Avenue Station, three at Cubao, two at GMA Kamuning, one at Quezon Avenue, and one on reserve status.

One nurse at a station tested positive for COVID-19, according to Libiran.

She said that 183 of the MRT3 personnel with COVID-19 were designated at the depot while three were train drivers and two were control center personnel.

The MRT3 suspended its operation from July 7 to 11 due to the increasing number of its personnel who were tested positive for COVID-19.—AOL, GMA News