A law firm has shut its central London office and sent home more than 1,000 staff after a possible coronavirus case was detected.

Baker McKenzie, which is based near Blackfriars station, took the measure as a precaution, a spokesman said.

The spokesman added: "Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our people and our clients and we have asked our London office employees to work from home for the time being while we are taking precautionary measures in response to a potential case of the Covid-19.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation and are following the advice and guidance issued by the Government and Public Health England.”

It comes two days after 300 staff at the Canary Wharf offices of the US oil company Chevron were asked to stay home while an unwell employee was tested for coronavirus.

The person was reportedly suffering flu-like symptoms, after returning from a country where there have been cases of the disease, and was awaiting test results.

The staff at the Canary Wharf office mainly engage in downstream oil and gas products trading.

In a statement, a company spokesman said: "Chevron continues to monitor the situation very closely, utilizing the guidance of international and local health authorities.

"Our primary concern is the health and safety of our employees and we are taking precautionary measures to reduce their risk of exposure."