For information only - not an official document
UNIS/VIC/226
17 March 2020
This is an important message from the Vienna International Centre (VIC) Medical Service regarding COVID-19:
There is a confirmed case of COVID-19 involving a female member of the cleaning staff at the VIC.
The cleaner, who is employed by an outside contractor, fell ill at the VIC on 2 March 2020 after office hours and was assisted by three members of the UN Security and Safety team. The cleaner worked on 13 rooms on the 10 th floor of the VIC's B building, which is part of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The relevant staff have been informed. The cleaner has not been in the building since 2 March.
Austrian health authorities initially diagnosed influenza. Late evening on Monday 16 March, the authorities informed the VIC Medical Service that the person had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The person has been evaluated at a hospital and is recovering.
The VIC Medical Service assesses the risk to the first responders, who were wearing protective clothing, as zero. None of them has developed any symptoms over the last 14 days. There is no residual risk to personnel at the VIC.
Close contact tracing has identified no further individuals among VIC personnel. Close contact is defined as 15 minutes face-to-face interaction at a distance of one metre or less.
We are in contact with the Host Country and we will provide an update to this case if needed.
World Health Organization and medical advice is to continue to adhere to the general respiratory illness prevention measures, notably washing hands.
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For further information, please contact:
Martin
Nesirky
Director, UNIS Vienna
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-5676
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5676
Email: martin.nesirky[at]un.org
Follow @UN_Vienna on Twitter for updates
