Amazon employee in Seattle tests positive for coronavirus: report

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An Amazon employee from the company's headquarters in Seattle, Washington has reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), after becoming symptomatic last month.

Amazon sent an email on Tuesday to update their workers on the situation and said the employee had worked out of the company's Brazil office building, according to The Seattle Times.

“We’re supporting the affected employee who is in quarantine,” the company said in a statement.

The unidentified employee went home after they said they weren't feeling well on Tuesday, Feb. 25, and hasn't returned to work since. That same day, Amazon was informed that the employee had tested positive for the disease.

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Anyone who worked within close proximity of the employee was also alerted, as a precaution. 

Amazon stressed that the risk of transmission for employees who were not in close contact with the infected individual was "assessed to be low."

“Your health is our top priority and we are continuing with enhanced deep cleaning and sanitization in the office,” the company said in the internal message.

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Thus far, the U.S. has suffered nine fatalities from the virus, all of which have occurred in the state of Washington.

There have been 118 confirmed cases overall, within the United States as of Tuesday.