European Parliament President David Sassoli | Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images European Parliament’s Sassoli to work from home as coronavirus precaution President decides to stay away from legislature after trip to Italy.

European Parliament President David Sassoli will work from home in Brussels for 14 days as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus, after traveling to his home country of Italy recently.

Sassoli, who was supposed to chair the Parliament's plenary session on Tuesday, said Italy's new emergency measure, which expanded a lockdown to the entire country "has important consequences for the behavior of Italian MEPs."

"For this reason, I have decided after having been in Italy over the last weekend, as a precaution, to follow the indicated measures and to exercise my function as President from my home in Brussels in compliance with the 14 days indicated by the health protocol," he said in a statement.

Separately, Parliament's personnel chief, Kristian Knudsen, told colleagues that an external trainer who gives classes to staff in Brussels has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

"I wish to inform you that all necessary measures are being taken to protect EP [European Parliament] staff and MEPs from further spread," Knudsen said in an email.

"Immediate contacts are being informed and are being asked to remain at home, self-isolate and monitor their health, until the incubation period has passed," he said.

This article has been updated.