Stockholm (AFP)
Swedish furniture giant Ikea announced on Wednesday that it will close half of its 30 stores in China until further notice to help fight the spread of the new coronavirus.
Ikea "will close approximately half of its stores in mainland China, temporarily and until further notice, from January 29," the Swedish manufacturer said in a statement to AFP.
Ikea had already announced the closure last week of its only store in Wuhan, the cradle of the virus that appeared in late 2019.
The employees concerned, out of the 14,000 that the group has in the country, "are requested to stay at home, while retaining their entire salary," said Ikea in its press release.
Discovered in the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan, the new coronavirus has already left 132 dead and contaminated nearly 6,000 people in mainland China, according to a latest report.
Most of the contaminations by this virus took place in China, but fifteen countries are also affected, including France and Germany.
The crisis raises fears of a significant impact on the world economy with already major disruptions in air traffic, industrial production in China, trade, tourism, etc.
© 2020 AFP