Dozens of workers at the world’s largest iPhone factory in China fled to escape the site’s lockdown after an outbreak of Covid cases was detected, according to footage posted on social media. Located in the city of Zhengzhou (center), the factory, managed by the Taiwanese group Foxconn, employs more than 200,000 people.
A “small number” of cases have been detected, the company said last week, without specifying how many. She had described as “completely false” the rumors on the internet reporting tens of thousands of contaminations.
42 new cases officially detected in the province
Foxconn ensured that employees were tested daily and placed in confinement on site. But videos circulating on social media over the weekend showed dozens of workers, some carrying suitcases, fleeing the site by climbing over the fence and then walking along the road to return home. them on foot. Local authorities have asked fleeing employees to register upon arrival and then observe a multi-day quarantine at home.
The Taiwanese group said it was “cooperating with the government to organize staff and vehicles” and allow employees to leave if they wish. Foxconn, whose Zhengzhou factory is the one that manufactures the most iPhones in the world, said it was facing a “long battle” against the outbreak of Covid detected, without specifying the number of confined employees. Henan province, where Zhengzhou is located, officially declared only 42 new cases on Monday.
NGO accuses group of hiding real number of cases
The NGO China Labor Watch accused the Foxconn group of hiding the real number of cases among its employees and forcing those who are sick to continue working, citing an internal message sent to staff as well as testimonies from employees. Foxconn assures for its part “to do everything possible” to take care of its workers.
China is the last major economy to apply a zero Covid policy, which translates into confinements as soon as positive cases appear, almost compulsory PCR tests several times a week or even the placement in quarantine of people from risk areas. . These measures, which lead to the unexpected closure of businesses and factories, weigh heavily on the economy.