Megan Anderson, deputy head of mission at Australia’s embassy in Paris and Australia’s ambassador to UNESCO, tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
Two other diplomatic staff at two separate Australian missions in Europe have also tested positive for the virus, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed on Friday.
“The individuals are being treated and are in isolation, in accordance with Australian standards and the advice of local health authorities,” DFAT Secretary Frances Adamson said in a statement.
“We are undertaking all necessary measures to protect staff and visitors to premises, including contact tracing.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that embassy staff who had been in close contact with Anderson have been forced to self-isolate.
The news comes as the government urges Australians overseas to return home, and has instituted a travel ban for all non-citizens. Meanwhile, Qantas has also cut all international flights from late March, making it harder for people to return to Australia from Europe.
Because of this, the coronavirus pandemic in Europe has already put strain on Australian diplomatic missions scrambling to help Aussies come home.
DFAT did not comment on whether the self-isolation measures taken following the confirmed coronavirus cases will impact diplomatic work. It also did not state the locations of the other two affected diplomatic missions.
