SEATTLE: Facebook has shut its Seattle office until March 9 after one of its contractors tested positive for COVID-19, suggesting all its employees to work from home for the rest of the month.
This is the second such case reported at any tech giant in the US, after an Amazon worker in Seattle was found infected with the new coronavirus this week.
According to Tracy Clayton, a Facebook spokesperson, a contractor based in the Stadium East Office was diagnosed with coronavirus, komonews.com reported on Wednesday.
"We've notified our employees and are following the advice of public health officials to prioritize everyone's health and safety," Clayton was quoted as saying.
WATCH
The infected contractor was last in the Facebook office on February 21.
King County health officials said all Facebook sites should work from home until March 31.
Coronavirus has also hit Amazon's headquarters in Seattle.
The Amazon employee is based out of the company's "Brazil" (SEA53) building, according to an internal memo sent out to Amazon workers and seen by The Verge.
"We're supporting the affected employee who is in quarantine," the company said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Amazon confirmed that two of its employees have been infected with the new coronavirus (COVID-19) in Italy.