Apple CEO Tim Cook states China is getting coronavirus ‘under control’

Amid worries of the spread of an unique coronavirus, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated in a Thursday interview with Fox Business that he’s positive China will have the ability to suppress its effect. 

“It feels to me that China is getting the coronavirus under control,” Cook stated throughout the interview. “You look at the numbers, they’re coming down day by day by day. I’m very optimistic there.”

The brand-new stress of coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, triggers a pneumonia-like illness and was found in Wuhan, China, in December. It has actually now contaminated more than 82,000 individuals and triggered more than 2,800 deaths worldwide.

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Apple said earlier this month that the virus has hurt demand from Chinese customers, as well as production capabilities in the country. The company assembles its phones in China and has suppliers in the Wuhan area.

“It will take some time, but by and large I think this is a temporary condition, not a long-term kind of thing,” Cook told Fox Business Network’s Susan Li. 

Apple began temporarily closing its China stores in January when the virus started spreading to places like the US, Australia and Europe. It later reopened some stores with limited hours. The tech giant also temporarily closed its corporate offices and contact centers in China.

In the interview, Cook said Apple has reopened factories in China. “This is sort of the third phase of getting back to normal,” he said.

He also discussed Apple’s plans to open a store in India next year, which he announced at the company’s annual shareholder meeting earlier this week. Cook said he sees India as a “huge opportunity” for Apple. An online store will launch in the country later this year. 

Originally published Feb. 27.
Update, Feb. 28: Adds Cook’s comment on Apple’s current situation being a “temporary condition,” and information on Apple’s India store.