Intel quarantines Bengaluru employee amid 'potential exposure' to Coronavirus; lists steps

Amid the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) breakout, tech-giant Intel has informed in a statement on Tuesday that one of its company's employees in Bengaluru has 'potentially been exposed' to the virus and has been quarantined. Intel has stated that the company has implemented several precautionary measures like travel restrictions, frequent office sanitisation and work-from-home provisions to limit the spread. 

30 people confirmed positive in India

This comes amid Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan's announcement on Wednesday where he stated that 28 people had been confirmed Coronavirus-positive in the country, including in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, e-commerce and payment company Paytm also confirmed that one of its employees as tested positive for Coronavirus and subsequently it would be shutting its Gurgaon office for two days. The Paytm employee had allegedly returned from Italy recently. Aside from this, one more case has emerged.  

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'We are understanding this virus'

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has noted that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads less efficiently than influenza or flu virus. However, the WHO also observed that the illness caused by COVID-19 is more severe than that of the flu.

In a media release issued on Tuesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted, "COVID-19 spreads less efficiently than flu, and transmission does not appear to be driven by people who are not sick, while in the case of influenza, people who are infected but not yet sick are major drivers of transmission." The WHO chief observed, "as we get more data, we are understanding this virus, and the disease it causes, more and more."

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He added, "this virus is not SARS, it's not MERS, and it's not influenza. It is a unique virus with unique characteristics. Both COVID-19 and influenza cause respiratory disease and spread the same way, via small droplets of fluid from the nose and mouth of someone who is sick. However, there are some important differences between COVID-19 and influenza. Some countries are looking for cases of COVID-19 using surveillance systems for influenza and other respiratory diseases."

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