Two cases of coronavirus in EU institutions confirmed

European Defence Agency and Council confirm staffers have been infected.

Coronavirus has hit the European Union institutions.

On Wednesday, two cases of the virus were confirmed by authorities in Brussels, one at the European Defence Agency and another at the Council of the European Union.

According to a statement from the European Defence Agency, a staff member “tested positive and is currently at home in self isolation since symptoms appeared on Saturday evening ... The individual has reported very light symptoms and not returned to the Agency since."

It said the individual had returned to Brussels from a visit to Italy on February 23.

The agency said it had “informed the few staff members who were in close contact with the colleague concerned four days prior to the appearance of symptoms” and told them to "self-isolate themselves for 14 days as a precaution."

Meetings due to be held at the EDA's premises on Rue des Drapiers in Brussels or organized by the agency elsewhere until March 13 have been canceled.

The Council of the European Union said one of its staff members had tested positive for the virus, but pledged not to cancel meetings.

"A colleague from the Information Security Unit of ORG 5 is infected with novel coronavirus COVID-19 following local transmission in Belgium," William Shapcott, the Council's director general for organizational development and services, wrote to Council staff in an email seen by POLITICO.