40 MRT employees infected

by Marc Jayson Cayabyab – The Philippine Star, 5 Jan 2022

MANILA, Philippines — At least 40 of 241 employees of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 tested positive for COVID-19 after they underwent antigen tests on Monday, the MRT-3 management announced yesterday.

The train personnel will undergo quarantine and confirmatory swab tests, the management said.

Of the number of infected railway personnel, 25 are stationed at the MRT-3 depot and 15 are working at the mainline.

The MRT-3 management will begin its voluntary antigen testing for passengers next week.

The Department of Transportation is still consolidating data on personnel who tested positive for COVID at the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) and Philippine National Railways (PNR), according to DOTr Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran.

None of the personnel who underwent antigen tests as part of the LRT-1’s daily health check tested positive for the virus since Monday, according to Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) spokesperson Jacqueline Gorospe.

“For LRMC personnel, whether passenger-facing or not, antigen testing is conducted as needed only since all personnel are fully vaccinated and must have no symptoms for three consecutive days,” Gorospe told The STAR yesterday.

“Antigen testing is conducted for personnel with flu-like symptoms. So far, none yielded positive results since yesterday,” Gorospe added.

Meanwhile, at least 20 PNR personnel were sent home on Monday morning after they tested positive for COVID-19 in antigen tests.