Face mask makers struggle to keep pace with demand amid Wuhan coronavirus worries
Worries over the spreading Wuhan coronavirus have resulted in more people, especially government agencies, wearing medical masks, resulting in stocks running out in China and other Asian countries.
China’s local press reported that the shortage of medical masks had occurred even at e-commerce giants like Taobao and JD.com.
Taobao said on its website that new stocks were coming, after around 80 million face masks were sold within two days last week.
Meanwhile, JD.com revealed that over 126 million masks were sold from January 19 to 22 with demand still increasing.
Mask factories had asked workers to return to work over the Chinese New Year holidays to manufacture more quantities.
Mask-maker Unicharm said that it has been making medical masks around the clock, as manufacturing orders had increased tenfold.
3M, one of the top medical mask brands, has increased its manufacturing capacity as well. Besides, it has assured distributors that the masks would be enough to meet consumers’ demand.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s local press reported that medical masks and antibiotics have run out since the last few days.
Macau’s government has limited to 10 the number of medical masks a person can buy at one time. The order covered local people and foreigners working legally in the country.
Taiwan has suspended the export of face masks for one month, until February 23, after one case of coronavirus was reported there.