A female diplomat from the Philippines mission to the UN tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, a note sent to UN missions said, making her the first known case at the world body’s New York headquarters.
“As of today, the Philippine Mission is in lockdown, and all personnel are instructed to self-quarantine and to seek medical attention should they develop the symptoms,” Philippine Acting UN Ambassador Kira Azucena wrote in a message seen by reporters. “We are assuming that all of us have been infected.”
According to the online UN directory of diplomatic staff, there are about 12 diplomats at the Philippine mission.
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin wrote on Twitter that the diplomat was young, spritely and “doing well,” adding that she had recently returned from Florida.
The sick diplomat represented the Philippines on the UN General Assembly’s legal affairs committee.
Azucena said that the diplomat was last at UN headquarters on Monday for about half an hour when she was asymptomatic.
She came down with flu-like symptoms on Tuesday and visited her doctor.
“She got the call today that she tested positive for COVID-19,” Azucena wrote on Thursday.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the sick diplomat met with two other diplomats and visited only one UN meeting room, which had been cleaned three times since Monday.
The UN medical services was contacting those diplomats, Dujarric said.
Several UN meetings planned for yesterday had been canceled in the wake of the diagnosis, diplomats said.
The 193-member world body began implementing coronavirus prevention measures at its Manhattan headquarters this week, including closing off access to the public, more regular cleaning and canceling some meetings. Half of the several thousand UN staff who normally work in the building will work from home by next week.
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