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Equinor has confirmed one person on a North Sea platform has tested positive with the Covid-19 coronavirus.
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The offshore worker had recently visited Austria, and arrived at the Martin Linge field in the North Sea on 4 March.
When Austria was classified as a high-risk country, the worker was quarantined and tested. According to the company, the infected individual has isolated themselves since 9 March, and is not seriously ill.
The development appears to be the first confirmed case of a worker on offshore platform.
In a statement, Equinor said two other workers on the field have been tested for coronavirus. Both recently visited high-risk areas, and the company awaits results.
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By GlobalDataIn a statement, Equinor said: “Equinor is in dialogue with the Norwegian health authorities about further measures.
“The activity on the field will be reduced today. Personnel remain at the installations they are already located on. Equinor is continuously evaluating further measures.
“Medical staff on board follow up all personnel and there are no additional persons with symptoms on board.”
According to the media sources, flights to jack-up rigs Askeladden and Askepott are cancelled. These rigs lie in the Gullfaks and Oseberg fields.
Construction on the Martin Linge field is currently underway with 776 persons offshore participating in the project works.
The field will starty production at the end of this year. It is located near the border to the UK sector in the northern part of the North Sea, 42km west of the Oseberg field.
Equinor bought a 51% stake in the field from Total for $1.45bn and took over its operation in March 2018.
Norway has confirmed 277 coronavirus infections with no deaths reported.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the virus has increased to more than 4,200 as of the end of 11 March, while the recoveries have increased to about 65,000, while the total confirmed cases worldwide have passed 119,000.
To address coronavirus Covid-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published research and development (R&D) roadmap.
