The impact of the coronavirus outbreak, also known as COVID-19, is such that tech companies have had to shut down their manufacturing plants to avoid the spread of the disease.
While several factories in China are shut down temporarily due to the local government’s order, Samsung has closed its Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone manufacturing plant in South Korea after an employee got infected with the coronavirus.
Samsung reportedly confirmed one of its employees working at the smartphone plant in Gumi being infected by COVID-19. The factory in Gumi is located approximately 200 km from South Korea’s capital city Seoul.
As a precautionary measure, the company has shut down the plant and has also placed other employees who came in contact with the infected worker in a self-quarantine, reported SamMobile, citing a local website.
The manufacturing plant will remain shut until February 24, and access to the floor where the employees worked will remain off-limits until February 25.
Samsung claims that the impact on smartphone production will be minimal. However, if the shutdown continues for a prolonged period, it could possibly be difficult for the company to keep up with the demand.
The death toll climbed to 2,592 with 150 new fatalities while the total number of confirmed cases increased to over 77,000, said World Health Organisation (WHO) officials on February 24.
(With inputs from PTI.)
