The Verge is reporting that Google is taking the drastic step of temporarily shutting down all of its China offices in the face of the coronavirus.
Google confirmed to The Verge Wednesday that it was shutting down all of its offices in mainland China, as well as its Hong Kong and Taiwan locations. The company has also placed temporary travel restrictions on flying to either China or Hong Kong.
The move comes as the Chinese government works to contain the outbreak. The government has been encouraging citizens to minimize travel and try to stay indoors as much as possible. Corporate offices were already closed during the extended Lunar Year Holiday, but Google is keep them closed longer in an effort to help protect employees.
It’s still unclear the level of impact the virus will have on industry and finance, but Google is just the latest company to take defensive measures in response to the outbreak.