Two Tesla employees have tested positive for coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, according to news reports.
An internal email from Laurie Shelby, Tesla’s vice president of environment, health, and safety department, didn’t disclose which office the two staffers worked in, according to Bloomberg.
The two employees had been working from home for nearly two weeks and didn’t show symptoms while they were in the office, the memo said. Both are quarantined at home and recovering, the company reportedly told employees.
Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from Digital Trends. We’ll update this story when we hear back.
The news comes as both Tesla and SpaceX have stepped up their efforts to combat the deadly pandemic. SpaceX told its employees that it would begin production on face masks and hand sanitizer, while CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter that Tesla’s New York gigafactory would reopen to begin making much-needed ventilators.
Earlier this month, a Tesla factory remained open in California despite orders to shelter in place. Musk reportedly told employees: “My frank opinion is that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself,” according to the LA Times. The company later halted production and reduced its staffing at the factory.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
