A Google employee in Bengaluru has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and the company of Friday asked staff in that office to work from work as a precautionary measure for the day.

“We can confirm that an employee from our Bengaluru office has been diagnosed with COVID-19. They were in one of our Bengaluru offices for a few hours before developing any symptoms,” a Google spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the employee has been on quarantine since then, and the company has asked colleagues who were in close contact with the employee to quarantine themselves and monitor their health.

It has asked employees in that Bengaluru office to work from home on Friday, the spokesperson said. “We have taken and will continue to take all necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials, as we prioritise everyone's health and safety.”

The Bengaluru office is among the oldest facilities of the company in India and houses hundreds of engineering staff.

The company did not comment on the number of employees in the facility.

In the past few days, employees of various IT firms like Mindtree and Dell have tested positive for coronavirus.

Many companies are now asking employees to work from home, and use technologies like telepresence and video conferencing to ensure business continuity.

More than 1,30,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been recorded in 116 countries and territories, killing at least 4,900 people.

The number of coronavirus patients in India has risen to 75, as per health ministry records.