Bayer employee in Creve Coeur tests negative for coronavirus

CREVE COEUR, Mo. (KMOX/AP) updated with test results - Bayer has announced its employee at its North American headquarters in Creve Coeur has tested negative for COVID-19 and the company is reopening the office on Thursday.

"The employee has tested negative for #COVID19 Coworkers that person was in contact with on site show no symptoms. Enhanced cleaning will continue," stated the release sent Wednesday. 

Here is the full statement: 

"This decision is consistent with guidance and our original reason for closing the site, which was based on direct known exposure and out of an abundance of caution. It’s now been confirmed that the employee in the Creve Coeur site tested negative. Those with whom this employee was in contact while on site also continue to show no symptoms. There continue to be no confirmed cases of coronavirus for any of our U.S. employees. We have implemented and will continue enhanced cleaning procedures throughout the site as a proactive precautionary step to continue to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees.''
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.@Bayer announces it is reopening the Creve Coeur office. "The employee has tested negative for #COVID19 Coworkers that person was in contact with on site show no symptoms. Enhanced cleaning will continue." @kmoxnews

— Carol Daniel (@caroldanielKMOX) March 11, 2020

KMOX's previous reporting:

An employee of Bayer in St. Louis is being tested for the coronavirus and the Creve Coeur campus is being closed "until further notice." 

The U.S. headquarters for the international pharmaceutical company released a statement on Monday regarding the possible exposure of a Bayer employee to the coronavirus. 

The spokeswoman says the campus is closing and "additional cleaning measures in common areas, and, as a proactive measure out of an abundance of caution."

If confirmed, it would be the region's second case. 

Here is the full statement from Bayer:

"We take the risk of the coronavirus seriously and are taking all necessary measures to keep our employees and neighbors safe. The primary goal is to ensure the health and safety of our employees, but at the same time to act with reason and judgment. In light of this, Bayer is currently working in close coordination with the Missouri Department of Health after learning on Sunday of an employee at the Creve Coeur site who is considered a person under investigation for coronavirus infection. To be clear, the employee has not been confirmed with coronavirus. Working closely with health officials, Bayer is temporarily closing the Bayer campus in Creve Coeur, Missouri, until further notice to implement additional cleaning measures in common areas, and, as a proactive measure out of an abundance of caution." 

Bayer announced it will also close the campus of its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, located at City Place 4, which is also in Creve Coeur as well as its Whippany and Morristown, New Jersey sites until further notice.

An email was sent to all employees at the Creve Coeur location Sunday night. 

The number of U.S. coronavirus cases swelled to about 400, with cases in about half of the states.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page will hold a 5 p.m. press conference to give an update on the health situation. 

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will hold a 3:30 p.m. press conference from Chicago with city and county officials to give a COVID-19 update.

This is a breaking news story that will be updated

First confirmed coronavirus case in St. Louis County

Two Catholic schools in suburban St. Louis have temporarily closed and some students at a third school have been told to stay home after the father of the first person in Missouri to become ill with the coronavirus attended a dance with another child.

St. Louis County woman tested positive for coronavirus after returning home from a study-abroad trip in Italy.

Page said at a news conference Sunday that the patient’s family was told on Thursday to self quarantine at their home in Ladue but didn’t follow health department instructions.

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School in Frontenac said in a message to parents that the father and sister of the infected patient attended the father-daughter dance Saturday night at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. They also apparently attended a pre-dance gathering at the house of a Villa student.

Page said health officials have told the man that “that he must remain in his home or they will issue a formal quarantine that will require him and the rest of his family to stay in their home by the force of law.”

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