Sharp is switching part of its production from LCD displays to face masks to tackle the spread of the so-called coronavirus in Japan as domestic supplies are exhausted.
The factory located near Osaka, Japan, will soon aim to produce up to 500,000 surgical masks a day after the Japanese government called for more masks to be urgently made to tackle the Covid-19 virus.
Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan promised that 600 million masks will be available each month, despite evidence from leading organisations such as the World Health Organisation that surgical masks do little to protect against infection from the novel virus.
Sharp’s parent company, Foxconn, has already switched part of its production of iPhones to surgical masks at its factory in Shenzhen, China with the aim of producing up to two million masks by the end of the month.
Covid-19 is a novel coronavirus that originated in Chinese city, Wuhan in December 2019, reportedly causing coughs, fever and breathing difficulties as well as organ failure in severe cases. The disease has spread to 80 countries worldwide and has infected more than 93,000 people to date, with 2,981 deaths attributed to the virus.
People should frequently wash their hands, covering up coughs and sneezes with tissues and safely disposing of used tissues. Individuals with suspected coronavirus symptoms should follow local government advice and contact their healthcare provider.
