Nike closed its worldwide headquarters in Oregon for deep-cleaning after the 1st US coronavirus death
Reuters
Nike announced Sunday it would temporarily close its world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon out of an "abundance of caution."
There has just been one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Oregon — a worker at an elementary school in Lake Oswego.
The CDC confirmed Saturday the first US death from the coronavirus, in neighboring Washington state.
Nike announced Sunday it temporarily closed its corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon in order to deep clean the campus following the first US death from COVID-19 the day prior.
"While we have no information indicating any exposure to Nike employees, out of an abundance of caution, we are conducting a deep cleaning of campus," a Nike spokesperson told KGW, the Portland, Oregon, NBC-affiliated station. "All WHQ buildings and facilities, including fitness centers, will be closed over the weekend."
An elementary school employee in Lake Oswego tested positive for the virus on Friday, becoming the first presumed positive case of COVID-19 in Oregon. Cases are "presumed positive" until a test from the Centers for Disease Control confirms the results. There are seven people in the state currently under investigation with symptoms of the virus and are currently awaiting test results. According to KGW, 88 people in Oregon are being monitored for signs of the virus but are not currently symptomatic.
Meanwhile, the first coronavirus death in the United States was reported by the CDC Saturday in neighboring Washington state. A man in his 50s with underlying health conditions died at an EvergreenHealth facility in King County, Washington. Approximately 27 out of 108 residents at the facility and 25 of the 180 staff members have shown symptoms of the virus, according to a previous Business Insider report.
As The Washington Post reported, COVID-19 has likely been spreading in Washington state for six weeks, as a genetic analysis revealed the virus of a recently infected person closely matched that of the first person US coronavirus patient, who was diagnosed in Washington.
Nike's decision to temporarily close its US headquarters seemingly marks the first time a large US corporation has closed its US offices as a result of the virus, a practice that has become commonplace in other parts of the world impacted by COVID-19. When the outbreak in China began, for example, Apple temporarily closed all of its corporate offices and retails stores in the country. Those offices have since re-opened.
The CDC recommends washing your hands, avoiding sick individuals, and keeping hands away from your face. It does not recommend Americans buy and wear face masks as a means of prevention.
Nike did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.
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