The Chinese Government on Wednesday imposed locked down in Zhengzhou city which is home to the world's largest iPhone factory after workers had fled the facility to avoid Covid restrictions.
Central China's Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, where Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn runs a massive plant. It has to be in a "static management" because of the coronavirus measures.
The lockdown has been set to last for seven days, local officials said in a statement, using a euphemism for lockdown.
“All people except Covid-prevention volunteers and essential workers must not leave their residences except to receive Covid tests and emergency medical treatment", the officials said on Wednesday.
Public transport services will be suspended and people of the city have to prefer work-from mode, an official notice on the WeChat social media platform reads.
Officials also said that they would "resolutely crack down on all kinds of violations of regulations".
As per the data, around 200,000 workers work at Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant. The plant produces the majority of Apple's new phones. The lockdown restrictions come at a key time for Apple, shortly after the launch of the iPhone 14. The company has to bear losses since the crucial Christmas and Lunar New Year shopping seasons are ahead.
Last Wednesday, Foxconn said a "small number of employees in Zhengzhou had been affected by the pandemic and were being provided with material supplies, psychological comfort, and responsive feedback..."
"…At present, the epidemic prevention work in Zhengzhou is progressing steadily, and the impact on the group is controllable. The operating outlook for this quarter remains unchanged," it added.
On Tuesday, Foxconn said that the company increased its daily bonuses at the manufacturing hub for its workers after a breakout during a Covid lockdown.
Additionally, it described the detailing of the bonuses for assembly line workers that will be raised to 400 yuan ($55.02; £47.76) a day.
Foxconn also said that the people who had worked for more than 25 days a month at the facility would be granted a maximum bonus of 5,000 yuan, up from 1,500 yuan.
