Coronavirus: TfL worker tests positive for Covid-19
A Transport for London (TfL) worker has tested positive for coronavirus, it was reported, as the outbreak continues to spread across the UK.
The employee in question works at the body’s control centre at Palestra House in Blackfriars, rather than on a part of the underground network, TfL confirmed.
TfL said that it had ordered a deep clean of the part of the building where the employee worked, but has not sent staff home.
In a statement, TfL said: “We are working closely with Public Health England and are following their advice after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19.
“The safety of our staff and customers is our top priority, so we are taking all necessary precautions and a deep clean has taken place within the building used by the staff member”.
The case takes the total number of confirmed instances of the virus in the UK to 280, of which three people, all of whom had underlying health conditions, have died.
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There are currently 36 confirmed cases in London, which is the worst hit region of the UK ahead of Hertfordshire, which has 12.
Boris Johnson has convened an emergency meeting of Cobra to discuss how to slow the spread of the outbreak, with a package of emergency measures under consideration.
These so-called “social distancing” measures, reported the BBC, could include banning big events, closing schools and encouraging people to work from home.
Earlier today independent London mayoral candidate Rory Stewart said that authorities should consider shutting the tube, arguing that the short-term economic hit to TfL would be worth it to prevent a further spread of the disease.
The fallout from the virus, and the plunging price of oil, sent the FTSE 100 benchmark index plummeting this morning.
It was down 6.6 per cent as of midday today.