F5 Networks closed its Seattle headquarters for the day after an employee had contact with a coronavirus patient

• F5 Networks closed its Seattle headquarters on Monday due to coronavirus fears, the Seattle Times reported.
• An employee had contact with a COVID-19 patient, but tested negative, acording to the report.
• There have been two deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19, both in King County, where Seattle is located.
• F5 is reportedly asking employees to work from home and to stop any nonessential business travel.
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F5 Networks closed its downtown Seattle headquarters on Monday after an employee had contact with a COVID-19 patient, the company confirmed.

“Our concern is with the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners and communities worldwide; and we have and will continue to put in place public safety measures,” F5 spokesman Rob Gruening said in a statement.

The F5 employees tested negative for COVID-19, but Gruening said in the statement that the company closed its headquarters building, F5 Tower, is asking employees to work from home and to stop any nonessential business travel, and is postponing or converting large in-person events to virtual meetings.

There have been two deaths in the US from COVID-19, both in King County, where Seattle is located.

F5 has also postponed an analyst and investor event scheduled for Tuesday and its annual user conference Agility scheduled for March 16 to 19.

"At this time of uncertainty, including recent reported cases of the virus in Washington state, the health and safety of our employees, investors, and the general public must be the top priority. We believe that hosting a large group event drawing participants from many regions is not appropriate at this time," F5 said Sunday after postponing the analyst and investor event.