Samsung workers return to work post disinfection of plant

Samsung had temporarily closed its manufacturing plant in South Korea, when an employee was found to be infected with the coronavirus. However, after thoroughly disinfecting the premises, the plant— located in Gumi, about 200 kilometres from Seoul— that manufactures Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphones, was reopened.

As a precautionary measure, the Company had decided to shut down the plant till 24 February. The floor, where the infected employee as well as other employees who came into contact with him worked, has been kept inaccessible till 25 February.

The other employees who made contact with the infected worker are also in self-quarantine.

The shut-down is not expected to impact smartphone production much, as the plant has resumed normal operations now.

Last weekend, South Korea was on high alert, with the number of cases crossing 700 and the death toll going up to seven due to the virus. LG Electronics had also closed its research complex when a child of one of its employees was discovered to be infected. Another company, SK Hynix imposed quarantines on hundreds of its staff members after it was learnt that one employee had come into contact with an infected person.

In China, the virus has already claimed more than 2,400 lives and about 76,936 people have been infected, bringing the whole economy to a standstill. Outside China, South Korea is the country with the largest number of confirmed cases.