A South Korean employee at the country's embassy to Belgium and the European Union, in Brussels, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the diplomatic mission said Friday.

It is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 of a South Korean at the country's embassies and consulates.

The employee appears to have contracted the virus after close contact with his housemate, who works at a nursing hospital as a nurse, and has tested positive, the embassy said in a release.

"The worker has been in self-quarantine since March 23, and has not met any people excluding the housemate," it said, adding that no other embassy member has shown symptoms of infection.

The embassy also noted that thorough disinfection of all embassy facilities has taken place. (Yonhap)