Microsoft Confirms Two COVID-19 Cases in Washington State
Two Microsoft employees in the Puget Sound region test positive for COVID-19, prompting the company to urge staff to work remotely until late March.
Two Microsoft employees in Washington State test positive for COVID-19, the company confirms as the coronavirus outbreak expands in the region. The infected staffers work in the Puget Sound area near Microsoft's Redmond headquarters, with one employee specifically working for the LinkedIn subsidiary. Health officials determine that the LinkedIn employee works remotely and has no known contact with other colleagues, eliminating the risk of an office spread.
Both affected individuals remain in quarantine as Microsoft provides support during their recovery. Microsoft executive Kurt DelBene tells employees that the company works closely with local public health authorities to manage the situation and monitor the well-being of the staff. The company continues to provide real-time guidance to its workforce to navigate the developing health crisis.
Following these diagnoses, Microsoft updates its operational guidelines and strongly recommends that all employees who are able to do so work from home until March 25. This decision aligns with similar actions taken by other major tech giants in the area, including Amazon, Google, and Facebook, as the entire technology industry faces event cancellations and temporary office closures due to the virus.