German companies opt for ‘wait-and-see’ over coronavirus outbreak
For China’s travel industry, the outbreak of the SARS-like coronavirus couldn’t have come at a worse time. Just as the Lunar New Year holiday season is fully kicking in, millions of Chinese travelling home to spend a few days of leisure with their families will find the gates of theme parks like Disneyland in Shanghai, movie theatres and even restaurants closed.
Read more: Coronavirus: sporting events in China under threat as virus spreads
The city of Wuhan, known to be the epicenter of the outbreak, has been locked down with no-one allowed to enter or leave the 50-million capital of Hubei province in central China.
On Tuesday, the government in Beijing announced that the New Year holiday would be extended by one week and that travel to the financial hub of Hong Kong was restricted. Chinese airlines affected by the travel bans to restricted areas have begun to reimburse customers for cancelled flights.
Read more: Foreigners seek evacuations as China races to contain deadly outbreak
As governments, global companies and international health organizations rush to contain the spread of the virus that has claimed more than 100 lives so far, businesses in Germany have begun to step up measures, too.
Cultural tour operator Studiosus has cancelled all of its guided tours to China up to mid-April, while Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa said it was noticing “slightly reluctant bookings” for China.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Pneumonia-like virus hits Wuhan
On December 31, 2019, China notifies the World Health Organization of a string of respiratory infections in the city of Wuhan, home to some 11 million people. The root virus is unknown and disease experts around the world begin working to identify it. The strain is traced to a seafood market in the city, which is quickly shut down. Some 40 people are initially reported to be infected.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
New strain of coronavirus identified
Researchers initially rule out the SARS virus, the deadly respiratory illness that originated in China in 2002, killing nearly 800 people worldwide. On January 7, Chinese scientists announce they’ve identified a new virus. Like SARS and the common cold, it is in the coronavirus family. It is temporarily named 2019-nCoV. Symptoms include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
First death in China
On January 11, China announces the first death from the coronavirus — a 61-year-old man, who had shopped at the Wuhan market, dies from complications with pneumonia.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Virus reaches neighboring countries
In the following days, countries such as Thailand and Japan begin to report cases of infections in people who had visited the same Wuhan market. In China, a second fatality is confirmed in the city. By January 20, three people have died in China and more than 200 are infected.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Transmission unclear
Through mid-January, scientists scramble to find out how the illness is being spread among people. Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to people. Some coronaviruses can be transmitted by coughing and sneezing. Airports around the world begin screening passengers arriving from China. On January 20, officials confirm the virus can be passed directly between humans.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Millions under lockdown
China places Wuhan on quarantine on January 23 in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. Transportation is suspended and workers attempt to quickly build a new hospital to treat infected patients, which total over 830 by January 24, as the death toll climbs to 26. Officials eventually extend the lockdown to 13 other cities, affecting at least 36 million people.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
A global health emergency?
More and more cases are confirmed outside of China, including in South Korea, the US, Nepal, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. As the number of infections rises, the World Health Organization on January 23 determines that it’s “too early” to declare a global public health emergency.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Coronavirus reaches Europe
On January 24, French authorities confirm three cases of the new coronavirus within its borders, marking the disease’s first appearance in Europe. Hours later, Australia confirms four people have been infected with the respiratory virus.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Lunar New Year
The Chinese Lunar New Year begins with subdued festivities on January 25. Officials cancel many major events in a bid to contain the outbreak, as millions of Chinese travel and take part in public celebrations. The death toll rises to 41, with over 1,300 infected worldwide — mostly in China. Scientists hope to have the first coronavirus vaccines ready within three months.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Germany braces for virus
On January 27, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says Germany is considering evacuating German nationals from Wuhan. There are no reported cases in Germany yet but officials are preparing to fight the virus. German researchers in Marburg are part of international efforts to work on a possible vaccine for the coronavirus. The death toll in China reaches 81, with 2,700 affected worldwide.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
Extended holiday for China as virus spreads
By late January, 17 Chinese cities, home to more than 50 million people, are in lockdown. Lunar New Year holidays are extended by three days to limit population flows. Cambodia confirms its first case, while Mongolia shuts its border with China for cars and Russia suspends tour operations to China. The cost to global tourism is put in the billions and oil prices also plummet.
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Coronavirus: Timeline of the deadly virus in China and worldwide
First case confirmed in Germany
On the evening of January 28, Germany announces the first known case of the virus in the country—a 33-year-old man in Bavaria who contracted the disease at his workplace during a training with a visiting Chinese colleague. He is put under quarantine and medical observation at a hospital in Munich, where health officials say he is doing well.
New Year shutdowns
For many German companies with operations in China, the country’s main holiday season provides much-needed time to ride out the virus outbreak. Battery maker Hoppecke of Brilon, Germany, on Saturday closed its three factories for the holiday season, including its main production site in Wuhan, where about 500 workers assemble lead batteries.
“About 99% of our Chinese staff are on holidays,” the company told DW in a statement, with its entire German staff having left China already. The firm says management is waiting to see how the situation develops and what German authorities will announce as far as travelling to China is concerned.
Swiss industrial conglomerate ABB told DW that its production facilities in Wuhan would continue to operate, and added that it was in permanent contact with its 100 staff there to inform them about preventative measures via mobile app.
Germany’s top auto manufacturers, Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, as well as chemical giants Evonik and BASF, also told DW that they would closely follow the health guidance related to the outbreak provided by the World Health Organization, the German Foreign Ministry and the Robert-Koch-Institute, which is Germany’s official health and disease control watchdog.
Refrigeration specialist Ziehl-Abegg has idled a truckload of its products destined for an important industry trade fair in China
Staff health more important than business
Apart from those companies which have adopted a wait-and-see approach to the disease, there are also some firms which have already taken swift and more drastic action.
Global auto parts supplier Schaeffler already on Thursday last week banned its staff from travelling to China. A similar decision was made by air cooling and climate technology provider Ziehl-Abegg.
“The health of our workers is currently more important than commercial considerations,” the firm’s chairman Peter Fenkl said.
Ziehl-Abegg has even stopped container shipping of its latest products intended for Asia’s biggest industry trade show for the sector, China Refrigeration, due to take place in Wuhan in April.
German wholesale giant Metro AG has more complex issues to tackle over the virus outbreak because it needs to protect not only its Chinese and foreign workers but also its customers. The company runs four marketplaces in Wuhan alone and has set up special checkpoints there to screen the body temperatures of staff and customers alike. In addition, the staff at its stores is required to wear face masks, while cleaning and disinfection intervals have been shortened.
Moreover, Metro’s Chinese staff has been called upon to stay away from farms and local markets, and avoid contact with life animals in general. No infections have so far been reported by the wholesaler, although the company refused to tell DW whether the measures are impacting its sales at its Wuhan outlets.
Holidaymakers destined for Indonesia’s Sumatra island are already being screened by health officers upon their arrival at Kualanamo International Airport
Germany prepares
Back in Germany, the country’s biggest aviation hub, Frankfurt Airport, has so far avoided introducing temperature screening for passengers. In close coordination with health authorities, the airport is increasing displays of health and hygiene advice at its terminals, said Jana Schäfer, spokeswoman for the airport operator Fraport.
“We think we are well-prepared,” she told DW, adding that this wasn’t the first health crisis Fraport had to deal with, and that it had gained valuable experience during the 2003 outbreak of the SARS virus.
Frankfurt is one of altogether five so-called “sanitation airports” in Germany — alongside Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg and Munich — where specially trained medical personnel are available to screen suspect passengers for possible disease risks on board planes upon their arrival. The task forces there are warranted to enforce quarantine measures.
Meanwhile, the government in Berlin has established a disease control task force at the Robert-Koch-Institute charged with gathering information about the coronavirus and ensuring swift countermeasures to contain an outbreak in Germany.
Despite the measures taken by German companies and authorities against the disease, fears of the new virus migrating to Germany, too, are spreading. Germany has already confirmed human transmission of the virus. In the towns of Krefeld and Ulm, Chinese schools have canceled festivities marking the Lunar New Year — to be on the safe side, officials claimed. And Germany’s blue-chip DAX index has followed stock markets around the world into negative territory amid fears that a coronavirus pandemic might prove a drag on global growth.
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/german-companies-opt-for-wait-and-see-over-coronavirus-outbreak/a-52173457?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf