Google Ireland UK staff urged to work from home amid coronavirus concerns

Google is recommending Ireland and UK employees work from home from Thursday in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the PA news agency understands.

The move comes after the tech giant told staff in its North American offices they could work from home if their role allowed it.

Last week, Google asked employees at its European headquarters in Dublin to work from home after an employee reported flu-like symptoms – though it was not confirmed as a case of Covid-19 – which the company used as a chance to test its ability for staff to work remotely.

In the UK, the firm has more than 5,000 members of staff, mostly in offices around London.

A number of tech companies have adopted similar precautionary measures, with Twitter encouraging all staff to work from home where possible and suspending non-essential business travel.

Facebook has temporarily halted social visitors to all its offices.

Coronavirus in brief

• A female patient with an underlying illness who contracted Covid-19

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  has died in the east of the country
• The 10 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Ireland last night brought the total up to 34 cases
• There are now 50 cases on the island of Ireland - 34 here, 16 in the North
• Schools told

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  not to close unless instructed by Department
• A teacher in Cork secondary school is in

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  self-isolation after coming in close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19
• Republic of Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off

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  to be played behind closed doors. The Women's qualifier

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  in Montenegro also closed to the public
• Ryanair and Aer Lingus cancel flights to Italy

Useful information
• The HSE have developed an information pack on how to protect yourself and others from coronavirus. Read it here
• Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in close contact with a confirmed case in the last 14 days should isolate themselves from other people - this means going into a different, well-ventilated room alone, with a phone; phone their GP, or emergency department - if this is not possible, phone 112 or 999 and in a medical emergency (if you have severe symptoms) phone 112 or 999