Apple Employee Tests Positive for Coronavirus in Ireland

Apple today confirmed that an employee has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus at its campus in Cork, Ireland. In a statement issued to Independent.ie, Apple said the individual has gone into and remains in self-isolation.

cork campus ireland team members working on two floors 20171106 carousel

Apple employees working at its Cork campus in 2017

As a precaution, Apple has asked some of its employees to stay at home while it assesses the situation in accordance with guidance from health authorities:

One of our employees in Cork has been confirmed to have Covid-19.

We are closely coordinating with the local health authorities who feel the risk to others is low, and the individual remains in self-isolation.

As a precaution, we have asked some of our team members to stay at home while we work with the Health and Safety Executive to assess the situation. We are continuing to regularly deep clean all our offices and stores and will take all necessary precautions in accordance with guidance from health authorities.

To our best knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of an Apple employee testing positive for COVID-19 in any country.

Apple has reportedly encouraged its employees in Cupertino and many other locations to work from home this week if possible. Another report this week claimed that Apple has offered its retail employees and some other hourly workers unlimited sick leave if they experience COVID-19 symptoms, with no doctor's note required.

Apple like many companies is taking various other precautions in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak, including suspending "Today at Apple" sessions in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Italy, China, and select other locations. It is also looking like an inevitability that Apple will cancel WWDC 2020 as a physical event, with other large developer conferences like Google I/O and Facebook F8 having already been canceled.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
General Black Friday Deals 24 Green Tinsel

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Friday November 22, 2024 5:28 am PST by
We're officially just one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this week is the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
15 inch m3 macbook air

Amazon Takes Up to $300 Off M3 MacBook Air With New All-Time Low Prices

Wednesday November 20, 2024 7:05 am PST by
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...

Top Rated Comments

The Samurai Avatar
62 months ago
Hang on, I thought Apple employees were protected from viruses.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mw360 Avatar
62 months ago

The scariest part of this virus is that you can show no symptoms for 5 days, but still be contagious during that period. When you start having symptoms and treat it, it’s almost pointless to quarantine because you’ve exposed so many people already.
No, it isn't pointless. A person without symptoms is going to be less infectious, because there is less of the virus in their system, therefore less to spread to others, and without symptoms like coughing, they are les likely to spread what they do have into the air or cough it up into their hands.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lunarworks Avatar
62 months ago
That office layout is a nightmare. Give me a door I can close.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
62 months ago
The scariest part of this virus is that you can show no symptoms for 5 days, but still be contagious during that period. When you start having symptoms and treat it, it’s almost pointless to quarantine because you’ve exposed so many people already.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NBAasDOGG Avatar
62 months ago
Tell him to switch to Windows!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WWPD Avatar
62 months ago
Some Jameson and Irish Spring should clear it up.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)