US Companies Ban Business Trips and Travel to Wuhan, China

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] American companies have begun to restrict their employees' travel to China. This indicates that the impact of the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak is spreading to the economic sector.

According to CNBC and other sources on the 22nd (local time), American companies such as General Motors and Ford have banned their employees from business trips to Wuhan, China. Since both automakers have production and research facilities in China, they are concerned about the possibility of employee infections.

This move has gained momentum following the announcement by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the first case of Wuhan pneumonia in the United States.

In a statement released that day, GM temporarily banned employees from traveling to the Wuhan area ahead of the Lunar New Year. They also urged employees to comply with the preventive measures required by health authorities.

A Ford spokesperson also stated, "We have suspended all business trips to the Wuhan area and are closely monitoring the situation." Ford has not taken any special measures regarding travel or business trips to other regions in China outside of Wuhan.

Norwegian Cruise Line, the third largest cruise operator in the world and an American company, is considering canceling scheduled port calls in China. The company plans to prohibit boarding on its cruise ships for 30 days for those who have traveled to Wuhan or China. Even passengers who have not traveled to China but have a body temperature above 38 degrees Celsius will be denied boarding.

Meanwhile, CNBC reported that CEOs attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (WEF, Davos Forum) in Davos, Switzerland, directly expressed concerns about Wuhan pneumonia during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier, despite the first case of Wuhan pneumonia in the U.S., President Trump stated that "the situation is fully under control."