The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday, April 7, said hundreds of railway workers have tested positive for COVID-19, as Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade ordered mass swab testing for train employees.

As of 5 pm on Tuesday, April 6, the DOTr has recorded a total of 522 new cases among railway employees:

• Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1): Of 377 workers tested, 117 personnel tested positive.
• Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT2): Of 571 workers tested, 143 employees tested positive.
• Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3): Of 860 workers tested, 131 tested positive.
• Philippine National Railways (PNR): Of 1,013 workers tested, 131 tested positive.

The DOTr said more employees will undergo swab testing as those tested were only a fraction of the total number of railway workers.

• LRT1: 1,185 still to be tested
• LRT2: 706 still to be tested
• MRT3: 2,424 still to be tested
• PNR: 716 still to be tested

Railway employees’ COVID-19 testing started on March 29. So far, the DOTr said, there is no known evidence that a passenger was exposed to an infected employee.

Last Sunday, April 4, the DOTr announced that the railway sector will continue to have limited operations because of the COVID-19 cases.

In early 2021, the MRT3 was hit by a second reported COVID-19 outbreak where over 40 employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Greater Manila Area is on enhanced community quarantine until Sunday, April 11, after the record-high surge in the overall tally of cases. – Rappler.com