Last checked at 
* Barclays and BlackRock confirm one case each in New York
* Deutsche and BBVA reorganise operations
* Moody's says European banks at risk
* EU bank watchdog scrutinises contingency plans
* Latest on coronavirus spread
(Recasts to add cases at financial companies in the U.S.)
By Tom Sims and Imani Moise
FRANKFURT/NEW YORK March 10 (Reuters) - Banks and other
large financial companies in major cities across the world
ramped up their emergency measures to combat the spread of the
coronavirus on Tuesday, with Barclays Plc and
BlackRock Inc confirming one case each of the disease in
their New York offices.
Barclays told staff on Tuesday that an employee who works on
a trading floor in its Midtown Manhattan office had tested
positive for the virus and advised employees who worked in the
vicinity or had meetings with the individual to self-quarantine
for 14 days, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
A Barclays spokesman confirmed the case.
A BlackRock employee in its 40 East 52nd Street office in
New York informed the company on Monday evening that they had
been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to statement from a
spokesman. The employee had no symptoms, but the company has
conducted a deep clean of the area the individual works in and
colleagues who may have been in close contact have been notified
to work from home for 14 days, the spokesman said.
The asset manager said business continuinty plans were
working, including provisions for teams to alternate working
from the office and from home to limit exposure.
"The business is operating at full strength, and there is no
impact on our ability to serve our clients,” the spokesman said.
Wells Fargo & Co said on Monday an employee at one
of its locations in San Francisco tested positive for the virus,
and employees who were in close contact with the individual were
asked not to come into the office for two weeks.
EUROPEAN CASES
In Europe, Deutsche Bank and BBVA
reorganised operations after employees were infected.
Deutsche Bank has split some of its trading operations
across sites in Frankfurt, while Spain's BBVA has shut one
building at its headquarters in Madrid.
The spread of the coronavirus is increasingly disrupting
financial companies' operations and adds to the impact of a
weaker economy on their businesses.
"Banks will see a weakening of their loan book quality as
the effects of the virus will reduce global travel and factory
output, and dampen domestic demand in Europe," Moody's analyst
Bernhard Held said.
The European Union's banking watchdog said it was focusing
on ensuring banks can continue operating during the coronavirus
crisis and was in contact with members over measures needed.
European banking stocks recovered some of their recent
losses on Tuesday.
Private equity firm KKR & Co Inc said late on Monday
that an employee at its London office had tested positive,
causing it to temporarily close both its sites in the city.
Standard Life Aberdeen said on Tuesday it was
planning to split its British and U.S. investment teams into
groups and have them work separately as part of contingency
planning.
Traders at the world's biggest banks began last week
swapping their plush city centre offices to work from suburban
outposts in New York and London, facing lengthy commutes as
their employers attempt to reduce the disruption caused by
coronavirus.
British bank Halifax, which is owned by Lloyds Banking Group
, has shut a call centre in Northern Ireland that
employs 1,000 people after a member of staff tested positive to
coronavirus.
The measures by Deutsche on Tuesday are expected to affect
dozens of people and last until at least March 27. The bank also
split some operations in London on Monday, following similar
moves in places including Italy and China.
"We expect no impact on our ability to operate our full
range of services for our clients and recognise that this setup
will require extra effort and discipline from all," Deutsche
said in a memo to staff.
(Reporting by Arno Schuetze, Tom Sims, Imani Moise, Jesus
Aguado, Elizabeth Dilts. Additional reporting by Simon Jessop,
Huw Jones, Graham Fahy and Hakan Ersen; Editing by David Clarke
and Mark Potter)
