Apple is limiting staff travel to China as the coronavirus continues to spread. Furthermore, the company has reduced the hours that its stores in China are open and have closed one entirely.
Coronavirus Halts All But ‘Busines Critical’ Travel to China
Speaking to CNBC, Apple CEO Tim Cook said:
We’re restricting travel to business critical travel. For employees that are in the Wuhan area we are providing care kits and supplying them across our employee population in China as well.
Mr. Cook confirmed that Apple has “some suppliers” in Wuhan, the city where the coronavirus outbreak began, during the earnings conference call on Tuesday. Some Apple manufacturing plants elsewhere in China will not reopen until February 10.
Mr. Cook also explained that “retail traffic has also been impacted outside of the city over the last few days,” as channel partners closed their doors. Apple itself has closed one of its stores. Mr. Cook confirmed that Apple is donating to efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak.