Chipmaker TSMC has confirmed its first coronavirus patient at a Taiwan facility, as reported by Reuters Wednesday. The employee in question is currently in hospital care and will not return to work until fully recovered.
To ensure the safety of its other employees, TSMC has sent 30 other employees who were in touch with the patient home for a 14-day quarantine period. Reuters reported that TSMC isn't expecting an impact on operations.
“This employee is receiving appropriate care at a hospital,” TSMC said. “The company has decided to begin operating in segregated teams."
Meanwhile, the company is enforcing strict protocols around its facilities to ensure operations can continue as normal despite the coronavirus outbreak. In addition to disinfecting measures, the company is also requiring employees to work in segregated areas, and workers are expected to wear masks during meetings, trainings and when in public areas.
Thus far, Taiwan has managed to keep COVID-19 spread under control, reportedly recording only 108 cases to date. This is a surprisingly low figure considering its proximity to China. This is thanks to swift response and an excellent containment strategy, which has paid off so far with the country experiencing only 1 death due to COVID-19.
