For information only - not an official document

UNIS/VIC/230
30 March 2020

Message from the main Vienna-based United Nations organizations (VBOs)

VIENNA, 30 March (UN Information Service) - This is an important message from the Vienna International Centre (VIC) Medical Service regarding COVID-19:

There are three more confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving VIC personnel. These are the details:

There are two additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving staff members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

On March 27th, the Austrian authorities confirmed that two more persons had tested positive for COVID-19, who had not been in the building since 13 March. They are both under self-quarantine and recovering from home. In one case, contact tracing by the Austrian authorities and the VIC Medical Service has identified individuals who were in close contact with the person and have been contacted by the authorities with instructions to self-quarantine for 14 days. Personnel not contacted by the Austrian authorities are not considered to be at risk. In the second case, the person was under self - quarantine since March 20th. A risk assessment conducted by local authorities and the VIC Medical Service has determined that there is no additional risk of exposure to other personnel.

On Monday, 30 March, the authorities confirmed that a United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. He is doing well at home with mild symptoms. The person had been working from home for seven days. Close contact tracing was conducted by Austrian health authorities and identified one contact person for observation. A risk assessment conducted by Austrian authorities and VIC Medical Service has determined that due to working from home, there is no risk of exposure to other personnel.

These latest three cases bring the cumulative total of COVID-19 among VIC personnel to nine cases.

* *** *

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