Coronavirus: China blocks Apple supplier Foxconn from restarting factories as outbreak spreads

Japan's Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday that Chinese authorities have blocked a plan by Apple supplier Foxconn to resume production at China factories on Monday, as Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV continues to spread.

In mainland China, 86 more people died of the virus on Saturday, according to authorities, bringing the official number of dead to 722.

From Reuters:

Public health experts carried out inspections at Foxconn's factories in the southern city of Shenzhen and told the company that its factories had a "high risk of coronavirus infection", making them unsuitable for a production restart, the newspaper said, citing four people familiar with the matter without identifying them.

Taiwan's Foxconn, which makes smartphones for global vendors including Apple, will also not see one of its key iPhone plants based in the central city of Zhengzhou restart work on Monday, the report added.

Foxconn could see a "big" production impact and shipments to customers including Apple face disruption if a Chinese factory halt due to the coronavirus outbreak extends into a second week, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters earlier this week.

"Foxconn did not immediately respond to a request for comment," the reporters add.

The first American death was reported today, also, and the coronavirus is now in France.

Read more:
China blocks Foxconn plan to restart factories over virus worries: Nikkei
[reuters.com]

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