Auto giants resuming production in coronavirus hit China

• Ford has restarted production at its plant in China’s economic hub Chongqing.
• Tesla too has reopened its gigafactory in Shanghai

Auto giants are reopening their factories in China or are planning to, despite high risks of novel coronavirus.

As per reports, US auto maker Ford has restarted production at its plant in China’s economic hub Chongqing. “We are taking a gradual approach in ramping up production operations, based on market demands and without compromising the safety of our employees,” said Anderson Chan, Ford spokesperson, quoted CNBC.

“We are carefully monitoring the situation and working closely with relevant government authorities and stakeholders in planning and acting accordingly,” he added.

Meanwhile, electric vehicles manufacturer Tesla too has reopened its factory in Shanghai, whereas other auto makers i.e. General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are planning to restart operations in China in the coming weeks.

The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak surged past 1,000 on Tuesday as the World Health Organization warned that infected people who have not travelled to China could ignite a “bigger fire" in the epidemic.

An advance team for a WHO-led international mission arrived in China as the country struggles to contain a viral epidemic that has now infected more than 42,000 and reached some 25 countries.

Another 108 deaths were reported on Tuesday — the first triple-digit daily rise since the virus emerged in late December.