The World Health Organization is investigating the possibility of an outbreak at the Geneve headquarters, the source of COVID-19 infection of 5 employees infected in the past week here.
About half of the infections recorded so far have been in people working from home. However, another 32 employees with COVID-19 are working in the WHO headquarters building, where more than 2,000 people regularly work. The organization says it has implemented other stringent measures for health hygiene, screening and disease prevention.
Mr. Raul Thomas, WHO’s chief business officer noted that 5 people, of whom 4 work in the same group and one associated with this group, tested positive for COVID-19. This indicates that the currently in place social segregation and infection control processes may have been disrupted.
Typically, an estimated 2,400 people regularly work at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. The possibility of an outbreak of COVID-19 at WHO headquarters in Geneva comes amid an increase in cases in Europe, the host country of Switzerland and especially the city of Geneve.
At the WHO headquarters in Geneva, people coming to work are limited to essential personnel such as senior directors and management teams. All were asked to disinfect their hands, maintain spacing and wear masks. The Swiss city of Geneve, home to WHO, and the neighboring state of Vaud are currently among the regions with the highest rates of COVID-19 infection in the world.