By Stephen Nellis | Reuters

Microsoft Corp on Wednesday asked many of its employees in the Seattle region near its headquarters and the San Francisco Bay Area to work from home if possible until March 25, responding to a coronavirus outbreak near its headquarters in Washington state.

“Taking these measures will ensure your safety and also make the workplace safer for those that need to be onsite,” Executive Vice President Kurt DelBene told employees in a blog post, adding that the company would follow government guidelines for disinfecting its sites for essential personnel.

The company also asked employees to suspend any non-essential business travel to the areas.