China: AB InBev temporarily suspends production at Wuhan brewery

Beer giant AB InBev has said that it has temporarily suspended production at its Wuhan brewery, in China, according to Reuters.

The Budweiser maker said that it currently has no scheduled date for resuming production in Wuhan, which is at the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic.

Elsewhere, major firms are seeking to limit their exposure to the virus outbreak, which has thus far killed 132 and affected close to 6,000.

Facebook, which suspended non-essential travel to mainland China, told employees who had travelled to China to work from home.

Alibaba asked employees to work from home for a week after an extended Lunar New Year break ends on February 2, while Tencent has extended holidays until February 9.

McDonald's shut outlets in five cities in Hubei province, while Yum China temporarily closed some KFC and Pizza Hut stores in Wuhan, and Luckin Coffee closed its cafes in the city.

Even the Magic Kingdom isn't immune to the disruption, with Walt Disney shutting its resorts and theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong during what is likely the busiest time of the year.

31 January, 2020