Foxconn Photo: VCG

The world's largest electronics contractor Foxconn issued three notices consecutively on Sunday to its factory workers at the Zhengzhou park in Central China's Henan Province, saying that arrangements and security protection measures have been made for employees who volunteer to stay in the park and those who wish to return home, after video clips that showed some workers allegedly from the park walking back home due to a COVID-19 outbreak sparked heated discussion during the weekend.

In the video clips, a number of workers allegedly from Foxconn are seen walking back to their hometowns with their bags on their backs. Along the way, many locals filled up the crossroads with drinking water and food - some on the ground while some in open cars, with a sign written "supply station for returnees from Foxconn."

The clips emerged after a COVID-19 outbreak hit the iPhone maker on October 25. On the next day, the company denied rumors claiming that about 20,000 staff had been diagnosed with COVID-19 at the company's Zhengzhou park. Only "a small number of employees" had been affected and production at the Zhengzhou park remained "relatively stable," the company said in a statement it sent to the Global Times on that day. 

In Sunday's three notices, the company said that for the employees who voluntarily stay in the factory, the government and the company will jointly guarantee their normal production and life order, protect their health safety and legitimate rights and interests, and improve their living and working environment.

For employees who want to return home, to ensure their safety, the administrative committee of Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone and the company will organize staff members and vehicles to serve their needs. The notice also provided the location and phone number for workers to choose.

Facing reports that showed concern about those employees, the company said in a statement released on Sunday evening that it is continuing to implement quarantine measures at its Zhengzhou park under the guidance of the government. And it has implemented measures including closed-loop management, point-to-point commuting, daily nucleic acid and antigen screening, free meals for employees, a 24-hour care hotline, and volunteer services. The Group will continue to provide employees with accurate information on epidemic prevention.

This round of the epidemic spread fast, but the viral load is low. So far, no serious infections have occurred at the Zhengzhou park, and the epidemic is generally under control, the statement said.

The outbreak in Foxconn has also raised concerns among local governments in Henan Province. 

On Sunday, several cities and counties in Henan, including Yuzhou, Changge, Qinyang, and Xuchang, have issued open letters to Foxconn workers, saying they were ready for their registered employees to return home. All regions said those who really need to return should report in advance and implement point-to-point services and quarantine measures.

According to the open letter from Xihua county published on its official Wechat account, local authority will arrange special buses to carry out pick-up services at the Zhengzhou park from Sunday. For the sake of safety, the requirement of 7-day centralized quarantine plus 3-day health monitoring shall be implemented after returning home, the letter said.

According to China Business Network, an executive officer of the company said that the company has been in closed loop management for more than ten days, and workers are working point to point. At present, the local government has dispatched a working group to Foxconn, the officer told the media.

A worker surnamed Jian told the Global Times on Sunday that she had walked back to Kaifeng, another city in Henan, from Foxconn, which took her 11 hours. "Walking is a way to avoid contact with other people and protect ourselves from further risk, so many of us have chosen to walk home, bypassing the villages and cities on the road where people live," Jian said.

Another Foxconn worker, surnamed Liu, told the Global Times on Sunday that she had walked 24 hours from Zhengzhou to Dengfeng with other three workers accompanied. "At first, a worker from our dormitory was isolated because of abnormal COVID-19 test result, but we do not know whether she was confirmed," she recalled. "Then some other workers were also pulled away for quarantine. Our workers with normal nucleic acid results are still working as usual."

On Saturday, 7 new local confirmed cases were reported in the province, including 6 in Zhengzhou, Henan Health Commission announced on Sunday. The province has so far reported 120 confirmed cases and 389 asymptomatic cases. 

Local authorities announced on Sunday that the epidemic situation in the province remains grim and complex and that Zhengzhou will strictly prevent spillover of risks, restore normal order in low-risk areas in an orderly manner and optimize the personnel movement in risk-free areas.

As a national transport hub, Zhengzhou suffered from this outbreak triggered by cases from outside Henan Province. The frequent personnel flows during the week-long National Day holidays in early October and the return of many students to their schools after the holiday have caused the virus to spread in multiple areas in the city, Zhengzhou epidemic control and prevention authorities said Thursday.

In addition, the infectious disease becomes active in the fall and winter, resulting in local mass virus transmission, the authorities explained.