Coronavirus Pandemic: China's iPhone production declines as Covid-19 outbreak hits factory

Zhengzhou (China): iPhone manufacturing in China may take a massive hit as a Covid-19 outbreak in its largest factory at Zhengzhou in central China is forcing the Foxconn Technology Group to shift some production to other Chinese cities. In recent days, videos which have gone viral on social media appear to show workers frightened by the outbreak leaving the factory in droves. Some workers have also refused to return to work for the fear of becoming infected by coronavirus. Foxconn’s factory at Zhengzhou is the world’s biggest assembly site for Apple smartphones. Hundreds of thousands of workers have been forcibly put into Covid-19 quarantine at the factory, shutting them off from the outside world for more than two weeks as the company struggles to overcome a coronavirus outbreak. Foxconn has introduced of closed-loop operations at the factory, allowing workers to move only between their dorms or homes and their work stations. According to a report by news agency Reuters, iPhone production in China could slump by as much as 30% due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Foxconn is reportedly trying to shift iPhone production from Zhengzhou to another factory in Shenzhen. Foxconn - which is Apple’s biggest iPhone maker producing 70% of global iPhone shipments - expects the shift from Zhengzhou to Shenzhen to limit to fall in production in the short term.

Workers fleeing Foxconn’s iPhone factory

In recent days, videos have emerged on social media platforms purpotedly showing several workers climbing fences in order to flee Foxconn’s iPhone factory in Zhengzhou. Many migrant labourers from Henan province are returning home on foot due to the Covid-19 lockdown and lack of food. Due to the coronavirus lockdown in China, public transport is not available. There were 97 coronavirus cases over a period of seven days in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province. The city of about 10 million people has been put under a partial Covid-19 lock down.

China’s Zero Covid policy

Foxconn, which serves as a supplier to US-based Apple, has thousands of employees at its Zhengzhou campus. Under China’s strict zero-covid policy, several measures are being taken to make cities corona free. In this, along with the lockdown, there is a complete ban on people’s exit and travel. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.