Coronavirus: Public relations agency closes UAE offices as employee diagnosed

Edelman Middle East chief Omar Qirem said the staff member had returned from a trip to Europe

The staff member worked at Edelman's Dubai office in Jumeirah Lake Towers. The National
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The Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices of a global public relations agency have been temporarily closed after an employee tested positive for coronavirus.

Edelman said a member of staff returned from a trip to Europe and tested positive for Covid-19. The country was not identified.

Middle East chief executive Omar Qirem told The National the company is working with the authorities and following all measures to guard against its further spread.

Our focus is the health and safety of our employees and supporting our clients during this period

Its offices are located in Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Park area and on floor seven of the One JLT building in Dubai's Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

It is understood the employee worked in the Dubai office. The Abu Dhabi office was only closed as a precaution.

"We are in close communication with that employee and providing all the necessary support," a spokesman said.

"We are also taking precautions which includes working remotely.

“Our focus is the health and safety of our employees and supporting our clients during this period.”

The number of new coronavirus cases in the UAE rose to 74 on Tuesday.

Seventeen of those have fully recovered.

More than 60 million people in Italy are also now under travel restrictions as the “red zone” in the north has been expanded to cover the entire country.

While Italy remains the focus of Europe’s worst outbreak of the virus with more than 10,000 diagnosed, the original epicentre of Covid-19, China’s Hubei province, is slowly lifting restrictions as new cases decline.

Public transport is due to restart soon and a staggered return to work is under way.

Both Iran and South Korea had about 8,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, while other nations are bracing themselves for a similar escalation.

The global death toll passed 4,280 from 119,108 reported cases, while 65,765 have recovered, officials said on Wednesday.

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