Foxconn has received approval to resume production at a key plant in the northern China city of Zhengzhou, Reuters reported on Monday citing a source with direct knowledge of the situation.
However, Foxconn is still in talks with the government to resume production at another plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, the source added.
Foxconn originally planned to resume work on February 10 in order to continue to produce Apple devices after the Lunar New Year holiday. However, affected by the raging new coronavirus, the company has cancelled the resumption of work, according to Nikkei.
Public health experts told Foxconn that after an on-site inspection, its Shenzhen plant was facing "high risks of coronavirus infection," and health officials were concerned that poor air circulation in restaurants and dormitories and the use of central air conditioning would increase the risk of infection transmission, people familiar with the matter told Nikkei.
Foxconn's largest iPhone plant in Zhengzhou, China, has also cancelled plans to resume work next Monday. In addition, Foxconn also canceled flight reservations for Taiwanese employees back to the mainland on Friday, and the company has told Shenzhen employees not to return to work.
Foxconn's display arm, Innolux, which has facilities in Shenzhen, on Friday published a note to employees advising them not to come back to its Longhua complex on Monday, according to a separate internal announcement seen by Nikkei.
