HSBC has evacuated parts of its Canary Wharf office after a confirmed case of coronavirus.
The UK bank has cleared its research department, according to people familiar with the matter, after an analyst contracted the Covid-19 virus.
HSBC is in the process of “deep cleaning” the affected part of the office, one person said.
If marks the first case of the respiratory illness at a major financial institution in the UK and comes in the same week that professional services firm Deloitte said a member of its London team was suffering from the virus.
The research analyst told bosses at the weekend and staff who had contact with the person have been told to work from home, a source told Reuters.
Thousands of workers are based in the tower in the east London financial and trading district.
Ninety people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK as of Thursday morning after three more cases were detected in Scotland overnight, but the number is expected to rise again within hours.
HSBC employs around 40,000 people in the UK, with roughly a quarter based at its offices in London’s docklands. The bank’s research division sits on the 10th floor of its Canary Wharf skyscraper and works closely with its traders on the fourth to advise institutional clients on the buying and selling of stocks and bonds.
In other news London’s Canary Wharf station evacuated – Jubilee Line closed as passengers smell smoke
Canary Wharf station has been evacuated after one of the many escalators at the station was seen smoking.
The busy East London station serving the business hub was evacuated at around 11am on a busy weekday morning.
London Fire Brigade confirmed they were called to the scene at 10.07am on Thursday (March 5) to reports of smoke from an escalator.
Two fire engines remain at the scene while firefighters respond.
A fire alarm rang out across the station as all people in the station building, including those in shops in the station were evacuated.
One passenger said on Twitter: “Canary Wharf station being evacuated due to a ‘reported emergency’. Strange smell throughout the station.”
Another said: “Smells like a fire at Canary Wharf tube. Just alighted and alarm’s going off. Stinks.”
This station has since reopened.
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