A factory that produces the Galaxy Z Flip was reportedly shut down after an employee of the wireless division that’s in charge of phone production tested positive for the pneumonia-like illness.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Samsung on Monday resumed operations at a factory in South Korea after the plant was briefly shut down over the weekend due to the coronavirus.
Just weeks after unveiling the Galaxy Z Flip, the Korean electronics giant shuttered a factory that produces that clamshell-like phone. The plant in the city of Gumi, South Korea, was shut down after an employee of the wireless division that’s in charge of phone production tested positive on Saturday for the pneumonia-like illness.
“The health and safety of our employees are our highest priority,” Samsung said. “The company plans to implement all necessary measures for disinfection and containment promptly.”
On Monday, Samsung said that the factory has restarted normal operations and that it doesn’t expect an impact on production.
The novel coronavirus, now called SARS-CoV-2, originated in Wuhan, China, and has so far killed more than 2,700 people and infected over 80,000. Cases have been confirmed in the US, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia.
The spread of the coronavirus is taking a toll on the global technology industry, with companies shuttering stores and offices, limiting travel, and bracing for disruptions to an integrated worldwide supply chain. Coronavirus fears led Facebook to call off a March marketing summit in San Francisco that was expected to draw 4,000 people. The Mobile World Congress, scheduled for this week in Barcelona, was also canceled.
Samsung isn’t the only phone manufacturer to be affected by the illness. Apple said earlier this month that it likely will miss the quarterly revenue guidance it gave last month, citing two reasons for the update: The coronavirus is hurting both demand from Chinese customers and production capabilities inside China.
Sammobile earlier reported the news of the closure.
CNET’s Shara Tibken contributed to this report.
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Originally published Feb. 23, 10:36 a.m. PT
Update, 9:48 p.m. PT, Adds Samsung comment.
Update, Feb. 25: Notes that the factory has been reopened.
