NATO HQ staffer tests positive for COVID-19

NATO confirmed on 9 March that a member of staff at its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium has tested positive for coronavirus.

The individual had recently returned from a trip to northern Italy, where 14 provinces are in lockdown.

‘The staff member is currently at home in self-isolation,’ a NATO spokesperson announced in a statement.

‘Within minutes of receiving the result, all the immediate work colleagues were informed. They had been working from home at the end of last week and continued to do so. All NATO headquarters staff have also been informed.’

NATO has already taken a number of measures to prevent an outbreak amongst its HQ personnel, including the suspension of certain staff travel, encouraging staff to work from home and the suspension of group visits. 

Other military-related activities continue as normal.

The announcement came after the DoD disclosed that a US Marine stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia also tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a business trip abroad.