MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) Japanese automobile giant Toyota said it would extend its shutdown of production in China until February 17 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, media reported Friday.
According to CNN Business, Toyota had been considering whether to resume operations on February 10 but decided to prolong the suspension. The automaker has warned there could potentially be more delays.
"The situation varies depending on the plant and its supply of parts. Also, there are additional considerations that must be given to the guidelines from local and region governments, including things like logistics, so we cannot definitively say whether we will restart plant operations from February 17," CNN business quoted a Toyota spokesperson as saying.
The closure affects 12 plants in China that together produce about 15 percent of cars and parts for Toyota, according to CNN.
The new strain of coronavirus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. The virus has already left more than 630 dead and over 31,000 infected. Last week, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in light of the outbreak.
