Major fast-food chains and retailers in China are shutting their doors as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread. Here's a list of closures.
Bethany Biron and
Yuru (Priscilla) Zhu
7 hours ago
Starbucks has closed select stores to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Jason Lee / REUTERS
An increasing number of fast-food chains and major retailers in China are issuing temporary closures as the
coronavirus death toll continues to rise.
The outbreak is believed to have
originated at a wet market in Wuhan, China, and has since been reported in 16 other countries, including Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, France, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, and the US. As of Wednesday morning, the virus has killed 132 individuals and infected more than 6,000, according to reports from
The New York Times and
CNN.
McDonald's and Starbucks were
among the earliest closures, with both fast-food chains announcing on Friday that they had closed select locations in China to prevent the spread of the virus among employees and customers. The closures came in tandem with
mass quarantines in China and orders to halt public transit in Wuhan and neighboring cities.
Several major tourist attractions and hospitality companies including the Shanghai Disney Resort and InterContinental Hotels Group have also temporarily shut down,
Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, retailers like Walmart have announced they will stay open for now. A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider the company is cooperating with local officials and health experts to "closely follow" and monitor the situation.
"We are actively reinforcing good hygiene practices in all of our Walmart and Sam's Club locations in China and reminding our teams that the health and safety of our associates and customers is our top priority," a Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider.
Below is a list of confirmed closures. We've reached out to several major fast-food chains and retailers with locations in China and will update this list accordingly.
Kate Taylor contributed reporting.
KFC
Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
A spokesperson for Yum China confirmed to Business Insider that select KFC locations in Wuhan have been closed since January 24.
"Yum China is closely monitoring the situation and following guidance from the relevant authorities," the spokesperson said. "We have implemented various preventative measures across our restaurants and workplaces to help protect our employees and customers."
Pizza Hut
Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Yum spokesperson also confirmed that Pizza Hut locations in Wuhan have been closed since January 24 and will remain closed "until further notice."
"We will continue to evaluate the need for additional actions and preventive health measures," the spokesperson said.
Starbucks
Jason Lee / REUTERS
According to the official Starbucks Weibo account, the company has closed all stores in Wuhan and the Hubei province through February 2, as well as the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai.
A Starbucks spokesperson told Business Insider the company will "continue monitoring this closely to take further actions as the situation evolves."
"We are working closely with local health authorities, taking actions with the health of partners and customers top of mind, including closing stores in some locations," the spokesperson said.
McDonald's
AP Photo/Chien min Chung
McDonald's announced on Friday that it has "suspended business" in five cities, as was first reported by
Reuters. A spokesperson for McDonald's Asia told
Business Insider's Mary Hanbury on Friday that all restaurant operations have been suspended in Wuhan, Ezhou, Huanggang, Qianjiang, and Xiantao until further noticed.
"Masks are urgently being distributed so that very soon all crews across the country will be wearing them," McDonald's said in a statement sent to Business Insider. "Internal communications are enhanced for promoting more frequent hand washing and disinfection, as well as helping employees to have a greater general understanding of epidemic prevention."
Dairy Queen
Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Dairy Queen locations in Wuhan have been closed since January 22, according to Dairy Queen's official Weibo page. Additionally, the company is offering a promotion for hospital workers treating individuals with the virus, which has received some backlash on the Chinese social media site.
An international Dairy Queen spokesperson told Business Insider that the company is "continuing to monitor the situation and closely following the direction of local authorities."
"The health and well-being of our employees and customers is of the utmost importance to International Dairy Queen and we continue to practice preventative measures to protect them," the spokesperson said.
IKEA
Ma Jian/VCG via Getty Images
IKEA closed its store in Wuhan on Jan. 23 "until further notice," according to a statement sent to Business Insider by a spokesperson at Ingka Group, a franchisee that operates IKEA in China.
"In order to protect our co-workers and other people, IKEA Retail China has asked IKEA Wuhan co-workers to stay at home on paid leave for 14 days during the observation period," the statement reads. "We are also taking preventive measures such as informing our co-workers about preventive hygiene to minimize the potential risk of being infected."
Additionally, the company's official Weibo page announced adjusted hours at other IKEA stores around the country, as well as closures of children's playing areas in those stores.
An increasing number of companies in China are closing their doors in Wuhan and nearby cities due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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