Taiwan Semiconductor Company Halts Production for 48 Hours Due to COVID-19 Cluster Infection

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A major semiconductor supplier in Taiwan has halted production for two days due to a COVID-19 outbreak among factory workers. Concerns are rising that the global semiconductor supply shortage will worsen.

According to Chinese online media on the 5th, Taiwanese semiconductor chip testing company Jingyuan Electronics (京元) announced the previous evening that it would suspend production for 48 hours and conduct a full disinfection.

This is the first time a Taiwanese semiconductor company has closed its factory due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that began last month. The Taiwanese government reported that 67 employees at Jingyuan Electronics' factory in Miaoli (苗栗), northern Taiwan, tested positive for COVID-19. Most of them are from the Philippines.

Testing is ongoing for more than 7,000 employees at this factory, so the number of infected individuals may increase. Jingyuan Electronics' clients are known to include Intel and Samsung Electronics.

COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly in Taiwan since last month. On this day, 511 new locally transmitted cases were reported in Taiwan, about 40 more than the 472 cases reported the previous day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.