Sydney office hit with coronavirus scare

Offices are being closed as the virus spreads. Picture: Getty Images
Offices are being closed as the virus spreads. Picture: Getty Images

Australian companies are sending their staff home at an increasing rate with some employees in a Sydney office building told to self-isolate after a person working there might have been exposed to the coronavirus.

The move by the unnamed company that occupies the building at 680 George St in the central business district came after the person was in contact with another person confirmed to have COVID-19.

The building is owned by Canadian group Brookfield Properties and an email was sent by Brookfield Property on Thursday, March 5 at 5.29pm about the issue.

The email explained that “At 3.30pm today Brookfield Properties was notified by a tenant that a person within their tenancy at 680 George St has recently been in contact with another person confirmed to have COVID-19.

“The person has today presented as being unwell and has been sent to a medical facility for testing; we have no confirmation that the person involved has contracted COVID-19.

“As a further precautionary measure, the tenant has informed us they have also sent home to self-isolate other team members working with the individual. We have implemented further measures including a deep sanitisation of the impacted tenancy and the common areas. We will communicate with you via email as soon as we have further details.”

Major landlords around Australia are putting in place procedures to handle the outbreak as it moves into local cities.

Brookfield says it had been notified on Thursday afternoon that a person who works at 680 George Street had recently been in contact with another individual off premises who has been confirmed to have coronavirus.

The person took themselves to a medical facility to be tested and Brookfield said it had no confirmation that the person involved has contracted COVID-19.

“Building management has implemented further risk mitigation measures which includes a deep sanitisation of the impacted tenancy and an additional deep clean of the common areas, consistent with direction received from the Department of Health and in keeping with our own management response plan,” a Brookfield spokesman says.

“We have communicated our actions to the building tenants and the building remains operational. The health and safety of our tenants and employees is our number one priority,” the Brookfield spokesman says.

This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property.