The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) Depot in Quezon City is currently under restricted access after 42 personnel tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement on Wednesday, January 27, the MRT3 management said that a total of 36 office personnel and 6 depot workers from Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries tested positive for COVID-19. Another personnel died earlier this week.

“Following an initial reported case of COVID-19 among MRT3 Depot office personnel, all office personnel undertook an RT-PCR swab test early last week, which resulted in 33 positive cases as of January 20,” MRT said.

The 3 other office personnel tested positive on Wednesday.

“To avoid the risk of further transmission, contact tracing was undertaken soon after the initial reported case, and all MRT-3 Depot office personnel shifted to a work-from-home arrangement,” it added.

Only a limited number of essential personnel are allowed at the MRT3 Depot.

The MRT3 said that station personnel have so far tested negative for the virus. Given this, operations will continue.

This is the second reported outbreak of COVID-19 at the MRT3. In July 2020, the MRT3 recorded 202 train and depot personnel who tested positive for the coronavirus. – Rappler.com