Keysight Technologies closes Santa Rosa campus over worries that worker was exposed to coronavirus

The Keysight employee, at home under self-quarantine, was a passenger on February cruise from San Francisco to Mexico, the same voyage tied to two confirmed coronavirus cases in Sonoma County.|

MARTIN ESPINOZA

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

March 5, 2020

How To Reduce Your Risk

Local health officials urge practicing good hygiene to reduce the risk of becoming infected with a respiratory virus, such as the flu or coronavirus. This includes:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds

• Avoid touching your eyes and face

• Cough or sneeze into your sleeved elbow

• Stay home when ill

• Get a flu shot, and it's not too late this season

Source: Sonoma County Department of Health Services

sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Information-About-Coronavirus.

For more information, go to

Questions or concerns can be directed to the county's 24-hour information hotline at 211 or 800-325-9604. You also can text "COVID19" to 211211 for coronavirus information.

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Keysight Technologies, the county’s third-largest employer with about 1,500 workers, Thursday said it was closing indefinitely its Santa Rosa campus over worries one of its employees may have been exposed to coronavirus.

It’s believed to be the first local company to shut down because of spread of the infectious disease that has stricken 215 people in the United States and more than 98,000 people worldwide as of Thursday night.

The announcement came hours after Sonoma County health officials said a second local resident on the Grand Princess ship was diagnosed with the potentially deadly virus.

The unidentified employee, who is at home under self-quarantine with flu-like symptoms, was a passenger on the 10-day cruise from San Francisco to Mexico in February, the same voyage with two passengers locally who have tested positive for the virus, a Keysight spokeswoman said. The Keysight employee is receiving medical treatment and awaiting testing for COVID-19, the spokeswoman said.

“In an overabundance of caution, Keysight has decided to temporarily close the Santa Rosa campus until further notice,” Keysight spokeswoman Denise Idone said. “Employees will be working from home while the site is thoroughly cleaned prior to reopening.”

Idone stressed the importance of being able to test locally for coronavirus. “More test kits would be beneficial to everyone,” she said.

A passenger list of the Grand Princess, which is part of the Princess Cruises’ fleet, provided to county officials Wednesday listed 78 Sonoma County residents on the cruise, which embarked Feb. 11 from the Port of San Francisco to Mexico and returned Feb. 21. County public health officials said they would be contacting all of those passengers.