Apple extends store closures in China due to coronavirus

Beijing, Feb 8 (IANS) In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Apple in the beginning of this month closed all of its corporate offices, stores as well as contact centers in China due to the coronavirus outbreak, the closures were expected to last through February 10 but now Apple retail chief Deidre O’Brien revealed that the reopening time is on hold until further notice.

The tech giant closed all 42 stores in the country from February 1 based on the latest advice from leading health experts.

“Apple’s Retail Stores are actively working to reopen at a date that will be determined next week. Additional cleaning, health protocols and local restrictions around public spaces will factor into this decision. Retail teams will receive updates from their managers on the opening date for their store and on other supportive steps we are taking,” O’Brien said in a letter to employees recently.

According to O’Brien, the company is working to reopen Apple’s corporate offices and contact centers next week.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China has reached 722, authorities said on Saturday, while the number of confirmed cases also rose to 34,546.

Chinese health authorities said they received reports of 3,399 new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection and 86 deaths Friday from 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Xinhua reported.

Among the deaths, 81 are in Hubei Province, two in Heilongjiang as well as one in Beijing, Henan and Gansu respectively, according to China’s National Health Commission.

Another 4,214 new suspected cases were reported Friday, said the commission.

Also Friday, 1,280 patients became seriously ill, and 510 people were discharged from hospital after recovery.